HYPNOTISED PAIR

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1929, Page 5

HYPNOTISED PAIR

THE WAIHI CASE,

PROFESSOR SHELLEY’S VIEW;

CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 27

The story of the hypnotising of a married couple in Wa.hi, which has attracted much interest, is well within the bounds of possibility, according to Professor Shelley, who was approached on the sueject by a “Times” leporter yesterday.

“There is no doubt” he said, “that it is impossible for oiie man to exercise a hypnotic influence over another, and to control that other man’s actions from his own mind. That has been established time and time again. Also, there are many instances of one personality dominating a group of personalities by means of hypnotic influence. To do so, the subject or subjects must be will.ng and in eo-opera-tl'.'ii. Otherwise, the task of hypnotism is a long and arduous ono. Even if the subject is willing, it would be possible for the hypnotist so to influence his subject that, upon the ‘awakening’ nothing ot the eircum stances of the hypnotism would be recalled. The idea of ‘hypnotising the furniture,’ is obviously wrongly expressed, It would be possible to make a hypnotic subject believe that lie or sue could sit down on atty of the furniture, The talk of this Mr A. being a ‘master’ and seeking the ‘mark 1 is so much mumbo-jumbo,” The report from Auckland that a man and his wife had been through terrible experiences at Waihi whilst under the hypnotic influence of a mysterious “Mr A” was referred to a wellknown city man yesterday. He said that he was very interested in the ■story, but that the' details given were insufficient to enable him to express an opinion one way or the ether. “In the years immediately following the War,” he said “I had considerable experience of hypnotism, which was for a short time used as part of the treatment of shell-shocked patients. I have never come in contact with a case similar to this, and I would not have thought it probable' that the man’s influence over a normal person would have lasted .so long. It looks more like mental weakness on the part of the husband and .wife. The strangest aspect cf it is that both the man and his wife appear to!have been similarly affected. It will be interesting to see if their condition becomes normal again or not. - Meanwhile I would not like to. commit myself to a definite opinioii.”