HYPNOTISM EXTRAORDINARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 304, 19 December 1908, Page 4

HYPNOTISM EXTRAORDINARY.

PECULIAR EFFECTS ON A MEDIUM. A case which excited much comment this week at Uilgandra, New South Wales, is that in which Theodore Jjirtou, son of the late Dr. Burton, was the principal ligure, says the Age of 30th November. He and .several others one evening attended a rehearsal in connection with a forthcoming entertainment, in company with a young fellow said to possess some power as a mesmerist.' The latter, by pre-arrange-incut, practised this on a lad present, with the idea of mystifying the uninitiated, as a joke. Apparently he succeeded admirably. Theodore Burton was completely entranced by what he had witnessed, and offered himself as * subject for the amateur mesmerist, who at first dec-lined, but eventually yielded. He. put Burton on a chair, made the orthodox passes over him, and commanded him to sleep. The subject proved wonderfully passive, and was in a state of repose in a few seconds. The riser of the occult power thought Burton had caught the spirit of the joke perpetrated in the first instance ; but when he tried to awaken Burton, and could not do so there was consternation, "One—two—three," lie counted, clapping his hands, and commanding Ins victim to wake, but to no urpose. Everyone present was dismayed, and it was said that some young ladies fainted. This was intensified when Burton showing signs of interest in the surroundings, and immediately behaved like a person sull'ering from a delirium. No device that was tried brought anything coherent from him, and he was taken home on a stretcher. 'There he sull'ercd such fits of violence that he had to be held down by main force.

A medical man was called in, and, ignoring the story about mesmerism, came to the conclusion that Burton was the victim of a seizure of some kind, and administered sedatives. Next morning the patient was apparently so far recovered that he went to his employment at M'Donngli's store. Befoiv midday, 'however, evidences of the attack returning became pronounced, and that night the youth was worse than ■ever. The doctor then feared a serious mental breakdown, and treatment was resorted to. As it did not prove ell'ective, the doctor advised the removal of the patient to the Duhbo Hospital for observation. This advice was followed on Saturday evening, and there Burton has been since.

'I he latest reports are that he is on liis way to recovery from an attack of acute hysteria. While Burton was in a state of delirium, he kept calling on the young companion lo whom he submitted himself lo awaken him. and alternately appealed lo the persons in. attendance to arrest the mesmerist. He 'recounted with mi.'iule accuracy the. leading events of his own life, ami a most painful scene was enacted when he repeated a demonstration of grief, to which lie gave way at his father's deathbed three years 'ago. Tie seemed lo live through the whole sorrowful experience again, even to the shock he' received on being acquainted of his'l father's death, which was sudden.