Powerful Passes

The helping hand of hypnotism has long been recognized in medicine. Last fortnight it was lauded on opposite sides of the globe. Professor William Brown at Oxford University told in the second of the Terry lectures at Yale about curing alcoholics, drug addicts, shell shocked soldiers by hypnosis.* In Odessa, Russia, Dr. J. Kalachnik reported the successful use of hypnosis in childbirth.

Before the. discovery of chloroform, hypnotism was used in operations to clear the patient's mind of fear, and in favorable subjects to induce a definite anaesthesia so that no pain was felt (TIME, Nov. 14). Almost any willing subject can be hypnotized, but the best patients are those already suffering from some mental or physical shock, or some habit which has already weakened their resistance. Hypnotism is a process of mental dissociation during which all activity is quiescent; no desire, no antagonism, no conflict. In this condition any suggestion registers powerfully and will be carried into action either at the moment, or after the hypnosis is over and forgotten, according to the commands of the operator. The cure of alcoholics and drug addicts is effected by replacing the desire for drink or drugs with a desire for health. Such a sermon would not be listened to under ordinary circumstance ; during hypnosis the ideas not only sink in but take a firm hold and reappear at the appointed time to function in consciousness without so much as a by your leave.

Curious physiological effects have been obtained under hypnotism. The patient, with both arms extended in front of him, has been told that the blood would leave one arm and go to the other. The operator has then massaged one arm and the blood has drained into the other arm until the arms presented a shocking contrast in red and white. Red and white they remained until the signal was given. Then the blood was seen to flow slowly back until both arms were the same color. The mechanism of this is unknown but the fact has been demonstrated repeatedly.

The hypnotist can also induce emotional states that carry over into consciousness. He can tell Sam Brown that his good friend Oswald Schimmelpilz insulted him. After repeating this good news during several hypnoses Sam will have become convinced and, the first time he sees his good friend Oswald, will probably sock him on the nose.

*From the Greek--to sleep.