HYPNOTISM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5353, 19 November 1928, Page 4

HYPNOTISM.

SCIENCE AND CHARLATANRY. The subject of hypnotism Is very little under,stood by thq average person of to-day, despite the fact that hypnotism has been practised extensively or 150yeai>, dating from the time of Mesmer, Who his first demonstration in Paris in 1778. Not only are .most people ignorant of the subject, but the great majority have formed mistaken ideas regarding hypnotism. This is due chiefly to exaggerated c,laims which have been advanced by 'hypnotists. Many pqrson s have accepted absurd statements as facts, and have come to look upqn hypnotism as an amazing occult power bordering on the supernatural, while ■others have gone to the opposite extreme and haye taken .the stand that hypnotism is nothing more than a hoax.

Neither of these opinions is correct. Hypnotism does not possess a scientific basis ; but at the same time many off its reported marvels a.i;e frauds and delusions. The true; facts are obscured by false statements Which ha,ve gained credence year by year,. The phenomena of trance and artificial slepp have existed since time immemorial. They were observed by the ancients were used by t'he medicine men of primitive tribes. There are many strange abnormal casqs on record, but the thought of actual hypnosis did not reach its height until the time of Mesmer, from wihqm the name mesmerism was coined, as another term for hypnotism.

Mesmer, was scientific in h'is methods, but he was something, of a char.latain also. He sought to cieate tne impression that he threw people into trancejs by means of a magic fluid, powerful but invisible, which was an all-compelling force. This inbtion was disproved, but t'he idea, has still persisted that in hypnotism the operator makes use of a strpng unseen force that overwhelms his hypnotic subjec.t. On .the contrary the hypnotist does nothing more than make suggestions to the persons whom he is hypnotising, and if the subject is responsive. to these; a trance condition may result. Most persons have experienced a mental condition 'which, borders on trance. If anyone becomes deeply interested in a book., or in studlying a particular problem, he will become oblivious to events which are takinlg place about him. He may even fail to hear loud noises or to see persons who pass within his line of vision. If thlis concentration is continued with the definite purpose of inducing actual trance, the result will be a state, of hypnosis which W HI later pass off into actual sleep.

There is no question but that some visions are the result of a trance state. Autohypnosis or self-mesmer-ism is not an infrequent occurrence, and the 'hypnotist merely induces, his subject to hypnotise himself. Hypnos’s is no metre abnormal than dreaming, but it is less common, and as all minds are liable in varying degree to dreams, so ar,e t'hey susceptible to hypnotism. The stories of strong-willed persons who .successfully resist t'he efforts of hypnotists are ridiculous. It is-the subject who hypnotises himself, not the operator, and it is only the strong will of the subject that can make the experiment succeed.

This brings us to .the subject of popular demonstrations of hypnotism, as performed on the stage. Many remarkable exhibitions 'have been given and many people have come to believe that professional hypnotists are men who possess a mighty power, whereas most of them are merely clever shofwmen.

I.t is possible to induce hypnotic sleep with a chance; subject whq may come upon the stage, but the conditions are not favourable, and the stage hypnotist rarely attempts it. Mesmerism on the stage is usually a pretence;, not a reality. The subjects experimented upon are employed by the performer, and are instructed before coming on the stage tq do as thqy are told. THE SHOWMAN’S HORSE.

I,t is not necessary for the hypnotist to give preliminary instructions. If his manner is convincing and he appears to be very stern, he will influence his subjects to such- an extent that they will forget they are only acting, This has been proved by trjal time and again. In ordler to make his world convincing, the self-styled hypnotist must perform certain spectacular feats with certain subjects. There arq men who make a speciality of being “hypnotised” and travel w.ith the hypnotiste. They are jrnoiwn as “horses,” and the performer who employs a good ‘“horse” can amaae this audience, particularly with .the demqnstration of catalepsy, or rigidity of the muscles.

In this exhibition the subject stands on a stage and becomes rigid at the command of the.lhyptnotist. He is laid between t'he backs of two chairs, his shoulders upon ‘one chair and his c,alves upon the otlher. The chair-backs are covered with rugs, and the chairs ai’e firmly fixed so that they will not topple. The hypnotist and t.wo or three other men .t'hen stand upon the body of the subject, so that his form supports the weight of 6001 b or more. This seems miraculous. It appears to be an impossible demonstraition, and people Who witness it will unanimously accept the explanation of hvpnotism.

But it should be quite obvious (although it is not) that hypnotism could not impart to the body a strength of resistance that it does not possess. There must be a scientific explanation, and .there is. 'Hypnotism is not essential to thle experiment.

The man between the cihairs arches his back ami makes his body rfgid. In order to support a heavy weight he 'has two straps fixed to his legs: above, his knees. He grip® these flrmljy with his hands, and his arms a,c,t as powerful supports, in this position a great weight can be sustained, the exact amount being determined bj; previous

experiment. The position thus assumed by the subject enables him to withstand an unusually great strain, th© importnt secret being the action of the arms, so that they keep the body from sagging and act as supporting girders to the human bridge. The work of the hypnotist should not be belittled, however, merely because’ his methods are different from those which people suppose. In many performances of this naturp he may actually induce the subject to assume a hypnotic state, or. a stage bordering, on actual trance, in order.t o produce more effective c.o-operation. But he must, in all instances, have the; cooperation of a suitable subject in his experiments.