Neurypnology
or
The rationale of nervous sleep considered in relation with animal
magnetism.
James Braid
DM:- I have copied this book for others to read because I regard
this book as THE fountain head of hypnosis. Braid not only gives us
the word we now use for our subject, but brought to it a clarity of
thought and an energy of experimentation which is unparallelled.I do
not know much about his life which is not contained in the pages of
this book, but I have compiled them into a brief
biography.
DEDICATION
TO
CHARLES ANDERSON, M.D.,F.R.C.S. ED. &c.
My Dear Sir,
INCLINATION as well as duty induces me to dedicate this work to you:
that I may publicly express the lively sense of gratitude I entertain
for the many opportunities enjoyed during my apprenticeship with
yourself and your late father, of acquiring a practical as well as
theoretical knowledge of my profession; of becoming familiar with your
comprehensive views of disease, and their happy application in
practice; for the personal kindness shewn me during my pupilage; and
for the uninterrupted friendship which has ever since existed betwixt
us.
I am aware that you are not practically acquainted with the subject
of this treatise, but your intimate knowledge of general science
renders you eminently qualified for prosecuting the subject with
success; and permit me to assure you, that its value as a curative
power, for an intractable class of diseases, renders it well worthy of
your best attention.
Believe me,
My dear Sir,
Most faithfully yours,
James Braid.
3, St. Peter's Square, MANCHESTER, June 2, 1843.
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Contents
INTRODUCTION.
General remarks - why Hypnotism has been separated from Animal
Magnetism - How far considered useful in the cure of disease - Its
Powers on the animal functions - Certain erroneous charges refuted -
Opinions and practice of Bertrand and Abbé Faria, Mr Brooks, Dr
Prichard - Its moral influence - Should be used by professional men
only - Definition of terms.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
Introductory remarks - Circumstances which directed to the
investigation - A real phenomenon observed - Experiments instituted to
prove the cause of it - Opinions and conclusions drawn from them -
Reasons for separating Hypnotism from Mesmerism- Hypnotism more
generally successful than Animal Magnetism - Mr Herbert Mayo's
testimony on this point - Proofs of this referred to - Different modes
by which it can be induced - Can only be expected to succeed by
complying with the whole conditions required.
CHAPTER
II.
Mode of Hypnotizing - Circumstances necessary to be complied with -
Peculiar phenomena which follow; excitement first, and afterwards
depression of function - Importance of attending to this - How these
may be made to alternate with each other - Extraordinaiy influence of
a current of air during Hypnotism - Reasons for certain modifications
of original modes of operating - Hypnotism proceeds from a law of the
animal economy - Arises from the physical and psychical condition of
the patient, and not from any emanation or principle proceeding from
others - Example for proof - Exhibits no appreciable electric or
magnetic change. - Two patients may hypnotize each other by contact. -
Phenomena arise spontaneously in course of disease. - Mr Wakley's
admission on this point. - Mr H. Mayo's testimony as to the effects of
Hypnotism. - Effects of different positions of the eyes - Remarks on
articles in Medical Gazette. - Consensual adjustment of eyes.- Effects
on size of pupil. - Power of habit and imagination. - Docility of
patients, and exalted sensibility, and their effects. - Patient
hypnotized whilst operating on another. - Mode of resisting influence
CHAPTER III.
Phenomena of natural sleep, dreaming, and somnambulism contrasted -
Causes of common sleep - Of dreaming - Effects of variety and monotony
compared - Charges alleged to take place in the Structure of the brain
by exertion - Cause of Hypnotism, M'Nish's article on ''Reverie"
compared with Mr Braid's theory of Hypnotism - Mode of arousing
patients from the state of Hypnotism.
CHAPTER
IV.
Phenomena of common sleep - Of Hypnotism - Power of locomotion and
accurate balancing of themselves - Tendency to dance on hearing
appropriate music - Grace displayed under its influence - Tendency to
become cataleptiformly fixed in any position if left quiet -
Probability of Hypnotism having been practised amongst the ancients,
and the cause of their superior excellence in sculpture, painting, and
dancing - Effects analogous to Nitrous Oxide in some - in what it
differs front this and intoxication from wine and spirits- Analogous
to conium - Effects of monotonous impressions on any of the senses -
Opinions of Cullen, M'Nish, Willich - (Counting and repeating
generally known) - A writer in Medical Gazette - Power of habit and
expectation - All the phenomena consecutive - Note illustrating this -
Power of Hypnotism to cure intractable diseases and disorders - Miss
Collins case and Miss E. Atkinson's - Extent to which it may be
expected to be useful.
CHAPTER V.
Reasons for delivering Public Lectures on Hypnotism - Mode of
procuring refreshing sleep, with low pulse and general flaccidity of
muscle - Efficacy of this plan.
CHAPTER VI.
Introductory remarks - Relation between mind and matter illustrated
to disprove materialism - Armstrong, Colton, Brown, Abercrombie,
Stewart, Plato - General conclusion, that mind or life is the cause of
organism - Power of conscience - The passions, how excited - Dr
Elliotson's opinion as to the efficacy or non-efficacy of volition and
sympathy with operator's brain - Modes of dividing the brain - Causes
of Phrenology being imperfect - Objections to Phreno-Hypnotism - Mode
of connection between the brain and body - First attempts at
Phrenologizing during Hypnotism were failures - Succeeded by operating
differently - Cases illustrative - A child operates successfully -
Details of the case - Other successful cases- Proper time for
operating - Case of an officer in 1758 - Inferences as to its curative
powers - Opinions of La Roy Sunderland, and Mr Hall - Presumed cause
of phenomena called Cross Magnetism - Return stolen property to proper
owners and proper place by smell and touch - Power of hearing faint
sounds - Additional cases - Opposite faculties can be excited at
the same time by acting on the opposite hemispheres - Mode of
operating - Concluding remarks on the value of testimony.
CHAPTER VII.
General resumé - Many phenomena admit of physical and
chemical proof - Difficulties of comprehending many phenomena -
Effects of prejudice in preventing the reception of truth - Critique
on debate at Medico-Chirurgical Society on Mr Ward's operation - State
of the circulation - Conjectures as to the cause of the cataleptiform
condition.
PART II.
Modes of operating - Objects of operations - Cases of sight improved
- Hearing - Deaf and dumb - Mr Curtis's remarks - James Shelmerdine's
case - Mr Bingham's testimony - S. Taylor - Sense of smell - Touch and
resistance - Tic, paralysis of sense and motion, cured - Miss E.
Atkinson's case, voice recovered - Rheumatism, ten cases - Irregular
muscular action - Headache - Spinal Irritation - Epilepsy - Spinal
curvature - Neuralgia, and palpitation of the heart - Surgical
operations without pain - Diseases of the skin - Locked jaw - Tonic
spasm - Miss Collins - Concluding remarks.
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Introduction
IT was my intention to have published my "Practical Essay on
the Curative Agency of Neuro- Hypnotism," exactly as delivered at
the Conversazione given, to the members of the British Association in
Manchester, on the 19th June, 1842. By so doing, and by appending foot
notes, comprising the data on which my views were grounded, it would
have conveyed a pretty clear knowledge of the subject, and of the
manner in which it had been treated. It has since been suggested,
however, that it might readily be incorporated with the short
Elementary Treatise on Neuro-Hypnology, which I originally intended to
publish, and which I am earnestly solicited to do, by letters from
professional gentlemen from all quarters. I now, therefore, submit my
views to the public in the following condensed form. I shall aim at
brevity and perspicuity; and my great object will be to teach others
all I know of the modes of inducing the phenomena, and their
application in the cure of diseases, and to invite my professional
brethren to labour in the same field of inquiry, feeling assured, that
the cause of science and humanity must thereby be promoted.
It was with this conviction I offered my "Practical Essay on
the Curative Agency of Neuro-Hypnotism," to the medical section
of the British Association.
In November, 1841, 1 was led to investigate the pretensions of
animal magnetism, or mesmerism, as a complete sceptic, from an anxiety
to discover the source of fallacy in certain phenomena I had heard
were exhibited at M. Lafoutaine's conversazioni. The result was, that
I made some discoveries which appeared to elucidate certain of the
phenomena, and rendered them interesting, both in a speculative and
practical point of view. I considered it a most favourable opportunity
for having additional light thrown upon this subject, to offer a paper
to the medical section of the British Association, which was about to
meet in Manchester. Gentlemen of scientific attainments might thus
have had an opportunity of investigating it, and eliciting the truth,
unbiassed by local or personal prejudice. I hoped to learn something
from others, on certain points which were extremely mysterious to me,
as to the cause of some remarkable phenomena. I accordingly intimated
my intention to the secretaries, by letter, on 18th May and on the
morning of Wednesday, the 22d June, 1842, sent the paper I proposed
reading for the consideration of the committee, intimating also, by
letter, my intention to produce before them as many of the patients as
possible, whose cases were referred to in proof of the curative agency
of Neuro-Hypnotism, so that they might have an opportunity of
ascertaining, for themselves, the real facts of the cases,
uninfluenced by any bias or partiality that I might exhibit as the
discoverer arid adapter of this new mode of treatment. The committee
of the medical section, however, were pleased to decline entertaining
the subject.
Many of the most eminent and influential members of the
Association, however, had already witnessed and investigated my
experiments in private, and expressed themselves highly gratified and
interested with them. In compliance with the repeated desire of these
gentlemen, and many other eminent members of the Association to whom I
could not possibly afford time to exhibit my experiments in private,
and who were anxious to have an opportunity afforded them of seeing,
hearing, and judging of the phenomena for themselves, I gave a
gratuitous conversazione, when I read the "Rejected Essay,"
and exhibited the experiments in a public room, to which all the
members of the Association had been respectfully invited. The interest
with which the subject was viewed by the members of the Association
generally, was sufficiently testified by the number and high
respectability of those who attended on that occasion; in reference to
which the chairman requested the reporters to put on record, "that
he had been in the habit for many years of attending public meetings,
and he had never in his life seen a more unmixed, a more entirely
respectable assembly in Manchester." It was also manifested by
their passing a vote of thanks at the conclusion of the conversazione,
for my having afforded an opportunity to the members of the British
Association of witnessing my experiments, to which they had previously
borne testimony as having been "highly successful."
On that occasion I stated, there were certain phenomena, which I
could readily induce by particular manipulations, whilst I candidly
confessed myself unable to explain the modus operandi by which
they were induced. I referred particularly to the extraordinary
rapidity with which dormant functions, and a state of cataleptiform
rigidity, may be changed to the extreme opposite condition, by a
simple waft of wind, either from the lips, a pair of bellows, or by
any other mechanical means. I solicited information on these points,
both privately and publicly, from all the eminently scientific
gentlemen who honoured me with their company during the meetings of
the British Association in this town; but no one ventured to express a
decided opinion as to the causes of these remarkable phenomena. I now
beg to assure every reader of this treatise, that I shall esteem it a
great favour to be enlightened on points which I confess are, at
present, still above my comprehension. It will be observed, for
reasons adduced, I have now entirely separated Hypnotism from Animal
Magnetism. I consider it to be merely a simple, speedy, and certain
mode of throwing the nervous system into a new condition, which may be
rendered eminently available in the cure of certain disorders. I
trust, therefore, it may be investigated quite independently of any
bias, either for or against the subject, as connected with mesmerism;
and only by the facts which can be adduced. I feel quite confident we
have acquired in this process a valuable addition to our curative
means; but I repudiate the idea of holding it up as a universal
remedy; nor do I even pretend to understand, as yet, the whole
range of diseases in which it may be useful. Time and experience
alone can determine this question, as is the case with all other new
remedies.
When we consider that in this process we have acquired the power of
raising sensibility to the most extraordinary degree, and also of
depressing it far below the torpor of natural sleep; (Footnote: Vide
Experiments, pp. 61 to 67. Chapter IV) and that from the latter
condition, any or all of the senses may be raised to the exalted state
of sensibility referred to, almost with the rapidity of thought,
by so simple an agency as a puff of air directed against the
respective parts; and that we can also raise and depress the force and
frequency of the circulation, locally or generally, in a most
extraordinary degree, it must be evident we have thus an important
power to act with. Whether these extraordinary physical effects are
produced through the imagination chiefly, or by other means, it
appears to me quite certain, that the imagination has never been so
much under our control, or capable of being made to act in the same
beneficial and uniform manner, by any other mode of management
hitherto known.
That we really have acquired in this process a valuable addition to
our curative means, which enables us speedily to put an end to many
diseases which resisted ordinary treatment, I think will be
satisfactorily manifested by the cases which I have recorded. Many of
these cases have been seen by other medical men, and are so
remarkable, so self-evident to every candid and intelligent mind, that
it is impossible, with any shew of propriety, to deny them. Most
unwarrantable and novel attempts have been made, not only to
extinguish the farther prosecution of Hypnotism, but also to
misrepresent all I had either said or done on the subject, and thus
damage me, as well as Hypnotism, in public estimation. I am in
possession of a mass of documentary evidence in proof of this, to an
extent which could scarcely be credited. But I shall not trouble my
readers with details of all that has been done in order to prejudice
my patients against me.
As regards general principles, it has even been attempted, by
garbled statements, to set forth such gross misrepresentations as
could only be credited by parties totally ignorant of the subject.
Thus it was alleged, that my mode of hypnotizing was no novelty; on
the contrary, that it was an unacknowledged plagiarism, and that it
was the opinion and practice of Bertrand and the Abbé Faria.
Now, so far as I have been able to comprehend the meaning of Bertrand,
which Colquhoun observes, "it is rather difficult to comprehend,"
he adheres "to the theory of imagination, and imagination alone,"
(Colquhoun's Introduction, p. 94.) At p. 34, vol. iv, of the "Encyclopaedia
of Practical Medicine," Dr Prichard says of Bertrand, that he "comes
at last to the conclusion, that all the results of these operations
are brought about through the influence of the mind;" that is,
through the influence of the imagination of the patients acting on
themselves. Bertrand also
supports this opinion by the manner in which the Abbé Faria
performed magnetization. His plan was his : "He placed the
patient in an arm-chair, and after telling him to shut his eyes, and
collect himself, suddenly pronounced, in a strong voice and imperative
tone, the word 'dormez,' which generally produced on the individual an
impression sufficiently strong to give a slight shock, and occasion
warmth, transpiration, and sometimes somnambulism." Had his
success by this method been as general as mine, would he have used the
Word "sometimes" on this occasion ? [Footnote:
Vide p.24.] It is farther added, "if the first attempt
failed, he tried the experiment a second, third, and
even a fourth time, after which he declared the individual incapable
of entering into the state of lucid sleep." whilst it is doubted
that his success was equal to what he represented it, still Bertrand
states, in reference to the Ab Fair, that it was incontestable, "that
he very often succeeded." Now, is this not sufficient proof, that
his success was by no means so general as mine? And who does not see,
on perusing my directions for hypnotizing, [Footnote: For
proof of this, see pp. 27 and 28.] that our methods are very
different?
It is farther added, "The complete identity of the phenomena
thus produced by a method which operated confessedly through the
imagination, with those which display themselves under the ordinary
treatment of the magnetizers, affords a strong reason for concluding
that the results in other instances depend upon a similar principle."
It is still farther added, that M. Bertrand denies the necessity of
strong intense volitions of the operator being necessary to produce
the result. He declared, "that in trials trade by himself,
precisely the same results followed, whether he WILLED to produce them
or not, provided that the patient was inwardly persuaded that the
whole ritual was duly observed. Can any farther remarks be required to
prove that Bertrand referred the result entirely to the effect of
imagination ? And can any one who has attended to what I have given as
my opinion, say that this either was, or is my opinion? Certainly
quite the contrary. The parties referred to, therefore, have only
proved their belief of how easy it is, by garbled statements, to
misrepresent the truth, when submitting such remarks to those ignorant
of the subject, or who are blinded by prejudice.
The following remarks by Mr H. Brookes, a celebrated lecturer on
animal magnetism, will illustrate this point rather better than the
individuals referred to. On hearing that I had changed my original
opinion about identity, he writes thus: "I am very glad
you have length found reason to change your original opinion as to the
identity of your phenomena with those of mesmerism. From the very
first I freely admitted the value and importance of your discovery,
but I could not admit that identity, and I blamed you for insisting
upon it so hastily, and using such hard words against the animal
Magnetists, because could not agree with you. I thought, and still
think, you did wrong in that, and that you certainly did yourself
injustice, for in fact you are the original discoverer of a new
agency, and not of a mere modification of an old one."
But when so much had been said of Bertrand, with the hope of making
it appear that I had either been ignorant of, or copied his views
without due acknowledgment, which is evidently erroneous, why not have
quoted him also to prove I was wrong in attributing curative effects
as resulting from these operations? Let us hear what M. Bertrand says
on this point. He "declares, that it is difficult to imagine with
what facility the practisers of the art succeed in relieving the most
severe affections of the nervous system. Attacks of epilepsy, in
particular, are rendered considerably less frequent and severe by
their method skilfully employed; which displays in so remarkable a
manner the influence of moral impressions on the physical state of the
constitution." After such declarations in favour of the curative
power of mesmerism, had M. Bertrand's method of inducing the
condition been as generally and speedily successful as mine, will any
one believe that it would not have been brought more generally into
practice ere now ? Mr Mayo, one of our best authorities, in a letter
to me on this subject states distinctly that the great reason for its
not being more generally introduced into practice, was the tediousness
of the processes for inducing the condition, and the uncertainty,
after all the time and trouble devoted to the manipulation, of
producing any result whatever. He concludes his observations on this
subject, by the remark, "It took up too much time."
And Dr Pritchard, author of the article referred to in the
Encyclopedia of Practical Medicine, adds, "On the whole, when we
consider the degree of suffering occasioned by disorders of the class
over which magnetism exerts an influence, through the medium of the
imagination, and the little efficacy which ordinary remedies possess,
of alleviating or counteracting them, it is much to be wished that
this art, notwithstanding the problematical nature of the theories
connected with it, were better known to us in actual practice."
I am aware great prejudice has been raised against mesmerism, from
the idea that it might be turned to immoral purposes. In respect to
the Neuro-Hypnotic state, induced by the method explained in this
treatise, I am quite certain that it deserves no such censure.
I have proved by experiments, both in public and in private, that
during the state of excitement, the judgment is sufficiently active to
make the patients, if possible, even more fastidious as
regards propriety of conduct, than in the waking condition; and from
the state of rigidity and insensibility, they can be roused to a state
of mobility, arid exalted sensibility, either by being rudely handled,
or even by a breath of air. Nor is it requisite this should be done by
the person who put them into the Hypnotic state. It will follow
equally from the manipulations of any one else, or a current of air
impinging against the body, from any mechanical contrivance whatever.
And, finally, the state cannot be induced, in any stage, unless with
the knowledge and consent of the party operated on. This is more than
can be said respecting a great number of our most valuable medicines,
for there are many which we are in the daily habit of using, with the
best advantage in the relief and cure of disease, which may be, and
have been rendered most potent for the furtherance of the ends of the
vicious and cruel; and which can be administered without the
knowledge of the intended victim. It ought never to be lost sight
of, that there is the use and abuse of every thing in
nature. It is the use, and only the judicious use of
Hypnotism, which I advocate.
It is well known that I have never made any secret of my modes of
operating, as they have not only been exhibited and explained
publicly, but also privately, to any professional gentleman, who
wished for farther information on the subject. Encouraged by the
confidence which flows from a consciousness of the honesty and
integrity of my purpose, and a thorough conviction of the reality and
value of this as a means of cure, I have persevered, in defiance of
much, and, as I think, unwarrantable and capricious opposition.
In now unfolding to the medical profession generally - to whose
notice, and kind consideration, this treatise is more particularly
presented - my views on what I conceive to be a very important,
powerful, and extraordinary agent in the healing art; I beg at once
distinctly to be understood, as repudiating the idea of its being, or
ever becoming, a universal remedy. On the contrary, I feel quite
assured it will require ill the acumen and experience of medical men,
to decide in what cases it would be safe and proper to have recourse
to such a mean; and I have always deprecated, in the strongest terms,
any attempts at its use amongst unprofessional persons, for the sake
of curiosity, or even for a nobler and more benevolent object - the
relief of the infirm; because I am satisfied it ought to be left in
the hands of professional men, and of them only. I have myself met
with some cases in which I considered it unsafe to apply it at all;
and with other cases in which it would have been most hazardous to
have carried the operation so far as the patients urged me to do. [Footnote:
The circumstances which render my operations dangerous, the symptoms
which indicate danger, and the mode of acting when they occur, to
remove them, are pointed out, pp. 52 and 53 - end of Chapter III.]
In now submitting my opinions and practice to the profession in the
following treatise, I consider
myself as having discharged an imperative duty to them, and to the
cause of humanity. In future, I intend to go on quietly and patiently,
prosecuting the subject in the course of my practice, and shall leave
others to adopt or reject it, as they shall find consistent with their
own convictions. As it is of the utmost importance, in discussing any
subject, to have a correct knowledge of the meaning attached to
peculiar terms made use of, I shall now give a few definitions, and
explain my reasons for adopting the terms selected.
Neurypnology is derived from the Greek words neuron, nerve;
hypnos, sleep; logos, a discourse [Greek letters
in original - DM]; and means the rationale, or doctrine
of nervous sleep, which I define to be, "a peculiar
condition of the nervous system, into which it can be thrown by
artificial contrivance:" or thus, "a peculiar condition of
the nervous system, induced by a fixed and abstracted attention of the
mental and visual eye, on one object, not of an exciting nature."
By the term "Neuro-Hypnotism," then, is to be understood "nervous
sleep ;" and, for the sake of brevity, suppressing the prefix "Neuro,"
by the terms-
HYPNOTIC = The state or condition of nervous sleep.
HYPNOTIZE = To induce nervous sleep.
HYPNOTIZED = One who has been put into the state of nervous sleep
HYPNOTISM = Nervous sleep.
DEHYPNOTIZE = To restore from the state or condition of nervous
sleep.
DEHYPNOTIZED = Restored from the state or condition of' nervous
sleep.
and
HYPNOTIST = One who practises Neuro-Hypnotism.
Whenever, therefore, any of these terms are used in the following
pages, I beg to be understood as alluding to the discovery I have made
of certain peculiar phenomena derived and elicited by my mode of
operating; and of which, to prevent misconception, and intermingling
with other theories and practices on the nervous system, I have
thought it best to give the foregoing designation.
I regret, as many of my readers may do, the inconvenient length of
the name; but, as most of our professional terms, and nearly all those
of a doctrinal meaning, have a Greek origin, I considered it most in
accordance with good taste, not to deviate from an established usage.
To obviate this in some degree, I have struck out two letters from the
original orthography, which was Neuro-Hypnology.
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Chapter 1.
HAVING in the introduction, presented a cursory view of certain
points, and given a few explanatory remarks, I shall now proceed to a
more particular and detailed consideration of the subject. I shall
explain the course I have pursued in prosecuting my investigation; the
phenomena which I discovered to result from the manipulations had
recourse to; the inferences I was consequently led to deduce from
them; the method I now recommend for inducing the hypnotic condition,
for applying it in the cure of various disorders, and the result of my
experience, as to the efficacy of hypnotism as a curative agent.
By the impression which hypnotism induces on the nervous system, we
acquire a power of rapidly curing many functional disorders, most
intractable, or altogether incurable, by ordinary remedies, and also
many of those distressing affections which, as in most cases they
evince no pathological change of structure, have been presumed to
depend on some peculiar condition of the nervous system, and have
therefore, by universal consent, been denominated 'nervous
complaints;' and as I felt satisfied it was not dependent on any
special agency or emanation, passing from the body of the operator to
that of the patient, as the animal magnetisers allege is the case by
their process, I considered it desirable, for the sake of preventing
misconception, to adopt new terms, as explained in the introduction.
I was led to discover the mode I now adopt with so much success for
inducing this artificial condition of the nervous system, by a course
of experiments instituted with the view to determine the cause of
mesmeric phenomena. Front all I had read and heard of mesmerism, (such
as, the phenomena being capable of being excited in so few, and these
few individuals in a state of disease, or naturally of a delicate
constitution, or peculiarly susceptible temperament, and from the
phenomena, when induced, being said to be so exaggerated, or of such
an extraordinary nature) I was fully inclined to join with those who
considered the whole to be a system of collusion or delusion, or of
excited imagination, sympathy, or imitation.
The first exhibition of the kind I ever had an opportunity of
attending, was one of M. Lafontaine's conversazione, on the 13th
November, 1841. That night I saw nothing to diminish, but rather to
confirm, my previous prejudices. At the next conversazione, six nights
afterwards, one fact, the inability of a patient to open
his eyelids, arrested my attention. I considered that to be a real
phenomenon, and was anxious to discover the physiological cause of
it. Next night, I watched this case when again operated on, with
intense interest, and before the termination of the experiment, felt
assured I had discovered its cause, but considered it prudent not to
announce my opinion publicly, until I had had an opportunity of
testing its accuracy, by experiments and observation in private.
In two days afterwards, I developed my views to my friend Captain
Brown, as I had also previously done to four other friends; and in his
presence, and that of my family, and another friend, the same evening,
I instituted a series of experiments to prove the correctness of my
theory, namely, that the continued fixed stare, by paralysing nervous
centres in the eyes and their appendages, [Footnote: By this
expression I mean the state of exhaustion which follows too long
continued, or too intense action, of any organ or function.] and
destroying the equilibrium of the nervous system, thus produced the
phenomenon referred to. The experiments were varied so as to convince
all present, that they fully bore out the correctness of my
theoretical views.
My first object, was to prove, that the inability of the patient to
open his eyes was caused by paralysing the levator muscles of the
eyelids, through their continued action during the protracted fixed
stare, and thus rendering it physically impossible for him to
open them. [Footnote: Attempts have been made to prove, that I
got this idea from a person who publicly maintained that the patient
referred to could have opened his eyes if he liked; to
this the patient having replied, 'I have tried all I could and
cannot;' the individual referred to, in support of his opinion,
alleged, that the inability was only imaginary; that he 'could
easily believe that a man may stand with his back to a wall, and may
really believe that he has no power to move from the wall.' It is
therefore clear this individual attributed the phenomena to a mental,
whilst I attributed it to a physical cause.]
With the view of proving this, I requested Mr Walker, a young
gentleman present, to sit down, and maintain a fixed stare at the top
of a wine bottle, placed so much above him as to produce a
considerable strain on the eyes and eyelids, to enable him to maintain
a steady view of the object. In three minutes his eyelids closed, a
gush of tears ran down his cheeks, his head drooped, his face was
slightly convulsed, he gave a groan, and instantly fell into profound
sleep, the respiration becoming slow, deep and sibilant, the right
hand and arm being agitated by slight convulsive movements. At the end
of four minutes I considered it necessary, for his safety, to put an
end to the experiment.
This experiment not only proved what I expected, but also, by
calling my attention to the spasmodic state of the muscles of the face
and arm, the peculiar state of the respiration, and the condition of
the mind, as evinced on rousing the patient, tended to prove to my
mind I had got the key to the solution of mesmerism. The agitation and
alarm of this gentleman, on being roused, very much astonished Mrs
Braid. She expressed herself greatly surprised at his being so much
alarmed about nothing, as she had watched the whole time, and never
saw me near him, or touching him in any way whatever. I proposed that
she should be the next subject operated on, to which she readily
consented, assuring all present that she would not be so easily
alarmed as the gentleman referred to. I requested her to sit down, and
gaze on the ornament of a china sugar basin, placed at the same angle
to the eyes as the bottle in the former experiment. In two minutes the
expression of the face was very much changed; at the end of two
minutes and a half the eyelids closed convulsively; the mouth was
distorted; she give a deep sigh, the bosom heaved, she fell back, and
was evidently passing into an hysteric paroxysm, to prevent which I
instantly aroused her, on counting the pulse I found it had mounted up
to 180 strokes a minute.
In order to prove my position still more clearly, I called up one of
my men-servants, who knew nothing of mesmerism, and gave him such
directions as were calculated to impress his mind with the idea, that
his fixed attention was merely for the purpose of watching a chemical
experiment in the preparation of some medicine, and being familiar
with such he could feel no alarm. In two minutes and a half his
eyelids closed stoutly with a vibrating motion, his chin fell on his
breast, he gave a deep sigh, and instantly was in a profound sleep,
breathing loudly. All the persons present burst into a fit of
laughter, but still he was not interrupted by us. In about one minute
after his profound sleep I roused him, and pretended to chide him for
being so careless, said he ought to be ashamed of himself for not
being able to attend to my instructions for three minutes without
falling asleep, and ordered him down stairs. In a short time I
recalled this young man, and desired hint to sit down once more, but
to be careful not to go to sleep again, as on the former occasion. He
sat down with this intention, but in the expiration of two minutes and
a half his eyelids closed, and exactly the same phenomena as in the
former experiment ensued.
I again tried the experiment by causing Mr Walker to gaze on a
different object from that used in the first experiments, but still,
as I anticipated, the phenomena were the same. I also tried him à
la Fontaine, with the thumbs and eyes, and likewise by gazing on
my eyes without contact, and still he effects were the same, as I
fully expected.
I now stated that I considered the experiments fully proved my
theory; and expressed my entire conviction that the phenomena of
mesmerism were to be accounted for on the principle of a derangement
of the state of the cerebrospinal centres, and of the circulatory, and
respiratory, and muscular systems, induced, as I have explained, by a
fixed stare, absolute repose of body, fixed attention, and suppressed
respiration, concomitant with that fixity of attention. That the whole
depended on the physical and psychical condition of the patient,
arising from the causes referred to, and not it all on the volition,
or passes of the operator, throwing out a magnetic fluid, or exciting
into activity some mystical universal fluid medium. I farther added,
that having thus produced the primary phenomena, I had no
doubt but the others would follow as a matter of course, time being
allowed for their gradual and successive development. [Footnote:
It has been asserted, for the mere purpose of proving the
contrary, that I had claimed being the first to discover that contact
was not necessary, and that a magnetic fluid , was not
required to produce the phenomena of mesmerism. I never made any such
claim, but illustrated these facts by the most simple and conclusive
experiments probably which were ever adduced for that purpose. In one
of my lectures, I gave a history of mesmerism, including Mesmer's
attempt to mesmerise trees in Dr Franklin's garden, to prove to the
Commission of l784, that the patients would become affected when they
went under the mesmerised trees, from the magnetic fluid passing from
the trees to the patients. This was proof sufficient, that even Mesmer
did not hold that contact was necessary. I farther stated the
fact, that the experiment was a failure, as the patient became
affected, not under the mesmerised, but under the unmesmerised
trees, which led the Commission to infer, that the phenomena resulted
from imagination, and not from the influence of a magnetic fluid.
Here, then, we had two theories, neither of which considered contact
necessary. Surely no one could suppose that I wished to lay claim to
these facts as discoveries of my own, seeing I gave the dates when the
occurrence took place, which was many years before I was born.]
Moreover, I explained, at the same lecture, the different modes of
mesmerising, by passes at a distance, and by pointing the
fingers at the eyes and forehead, adopted by others, long before I
made any experiments on the subject; and at subsequent lectures, from
observing the graceful attitudes some patients assumed during the
hypnotic state, and the ease with which they could maintain any given
position, by becoming cataleptiformly fixed in it, I hazarded the
opinion, that it may have been to hypnotism the Grecians, were
indebted for their fine statuary; and the Fakirs for their power of
performing their remarkable feats. I also expressed my belief, that
the rapt state of religious enthusiasts, such as that of the monks of
Mount Athos, arose from the same cause, although none of the parties
might have understood the true principle by which they were produced.
For a considerable time I was of opinion that the phenomena induced
by my mode of operating and that of the mesmerisers, were identical;
and, so far as I have yet personally seen, I still consider the
condition of the nervous system induced by both modes to be at least
analogous. It appeared to me that the fixation of the mind and eyes
Was attained occasionally during the monotonous movements of the
mesmerises, and thus they succeeded sometimes, and as it were, by
chance; Whereas, by my insisting on the eyes being fixed in the most
favourable position, and the mind thus riveted to one idea, as the
primary and imperative conditions, my success was consequently
general and the effects intense, while theirs was feeble and
uncertain. However, from what the mesmerisers state as to effects
which they can produce in certain cases, there seem to be differences
sufficient to warrant the conclusion that they ought to be considered
as distinct agencies; and for the following reasons. The mesmerisers
positively assert that they can produce certain effects, which I have
never been able to produce by my mode, although I have tried to do so.
[Footnote: The effects I allude to are such as, telling the time
on a watch held behind the head, or placed on the pit of the stomach;
reading closed letters, or a shut book; perceiving what is doing miles
off; having the power of perceiving the nature and cure of the
diseases of others, although uneducated in medical science;
mesmerising patients at miles' distance, without the knowledge or
belief in the patient that any such operation is intended.]
Now, I do not consider it fair or proper to impugn the statements of
others in this matter, who are known to be men of talent and
observation, and of undoubted credit in other matters, merely
because I have not personally witnessed the phenomena,
or been able to produce them myself, either by my own mode or theirs.
With my present means of knowledge I am willing to admit that certain
phenomena to which I refer have been induced by others, but
still I think most of them may be explained in a different and more
natural way than that of the mesmerisers. When I shall have personally
had evidence of the special influence and its effects to which they
lay claim, I shall not be backward in bearing testimony to the fact.
However, the greatest and most important difference is this, that
they can succeed so seldom, anti I so generally, in inducing the
phenomena which we both profess thus to effect. Granting, therefore,
to the mesmerisers the full credit of being able to produce certain
wonderful phenomena which I have not been able to produce by my plan,
still it follows, that mine is superior to theirs in as far as general
applicability and practical utility are concerned. Mine
has also this advantage, that I am quite certain no one can be
affected by it, in any stage of the process, unless by the free will
and consent of the patient, which is at once sufficient to exonerate
the practice from the imputations of being capable of being converted
to immoral purposes, which has been so much insisted on to the
prejudice of animal magnetism. This has arisen from the mesmerisers
asserting that they have the power of overmastering patients
irresistibly, even whilst at a distance, by mere volition and secret
passes.
I am fully borne out by the opinion of that eminent physiologist, Mr
Herbert Mayo, in my view of the subject, that my plan is 'the best,
the shortest, and surest for getting the sleep,' and throwing the
nervous system, by artificial contrivance, into a new condition, which
may be rendered available in the healing art. At a private
conversazione, which I gave to the profession in London on the 1st
of March, 1842, he examined and tested my patients most carefully,
submitted himself to be operated on by me both publicly and privately,
and was so searching and inquisitive in his investigations as to call
forth the animadversions of a medical gentleman present, who thought
he was not giving me fair play; but which he has assured me proceeded
from an anxious desire to know the truth, not being biased by having
any peculiar views of his own to bring forward; and because he
considered the subject most important, both in a speculative and
practical point of view.
Whatever I advance, therefore, in the following remarks, I wish to
be distinctly understood as strictly in reference to my own mode of
operating, and distinct from that of all others. The latter I shall
merely refer to in as far as is necessary to point out certain sources
of fallacy by which the phenomena of the one may be confounded with
those of the other.
In proof of the general success of my mode of operating, I need only
name, that at one of my public lectures in Manchester, fourteen male
adults, in good health, all strangers to me, stood up at once, and ten
of them became decidedly hypnotised. At Rochdale I conducted the
experiments for a friend, and hypnotised twenty strangers in one
night. At a private conversazione to the profession in London, on the
1st of March, 1842, eighteen adults, most of them entire
strangers to me, sat down at once, and in ten minutes sixteen of them
were decidedly hypnotised. Mr Herbert Mayo tested some of these
patients, and satisfied himself of the reality of the phenomena.
On another occasion I took thirty-two children into a room, none of
whom had either seen or heard of hypnotism or mesmerism : I made them
stand up at three times, and in ten or twelve minutes had the whole
thirty-two hypnotised, maintaining their arms extended while in the
hypnotic condition, and this at mid-day. In making this statement, I
do not mean to say they were in the ulterior stage, or state
of torpor; but that they were in the primary stage, or
that of excitement, front which experience has taught me
confidently to rely that the torpid and rigid state will certainly
follow, by merely affording time for the phenomena to develop
themselves. In the Stockport Chronicle of 4th February,
1842, there is a report of a lecture delivered in that town a few days
before. A dozen male patients were made to stand up at once, and
treated according to my method, six of them became hypnotised, and two
of them so deeply, as to cause the lecturer very considerable trouble
to rouse them. With one named 'Charlie', all the usual means,
including buffeting and frictions before a fire, did not succeed in
restoring speech until he had been made to swallow nearly half a
tumbler glass of neat gin. I consider this important
as being the testimony of an enemy. It can take place also in
the dark, as well as by day or by gas light; when the eyes are
bandaged, as when they are uncovered, by merely keeping the eyes
fixed, the body in a state of absolute rest, and the mind abstracted
from all other considerations. In cases of children, and those of weak
intellect, or of restless and excitable minds, whom I could not manage
so as to make them comply with these simple rules, I have always been
foiled, although most anxious to succeed. This I consider a strong
proof of the correctness of my views. By arresting the attention, and
fixing the eyes, it is also successful with brute animals.
This general success of my plan, both with man and brute animals, I
consider sufficient to prove it proceeds from a law in the animal
economy. The exceptions to success are so few as to lead to the
conclusion that they arise from a non-compliance with the conditions.
It is, however, unquestionable, that there exists great difference in
the susceptibility of different individuals, some becoming rapidly and
intensely affected, others slowly and feebly so.
I am aware that some say they have tried my mode, and failed to
produce the phenomena. The reason, I presume, is simply this. They
will not believe the necessity of complying with the WHOLE of the
conditions I have distinctly insisted on. But, in all fairness, if
they do not comply with the WHOLE conditions, they have no right to
expect the promised results, nor to be disappointed because they fail.
If the patient and operator comply in all respects as I
direct, success is almost certain; but, on the contrary, he is almost
equally certain to fail if all the conditions are not strictly
complied with.
When we consider the great difficulty to some persons of abstracting
their minds, and the greater difficulty of ensuring that patients
operated on in a public room shall be able to abstract their minds
entirely from the circumstances with which they are surrounded, and
from other considerations concentrate their ideas entirely on the
subject in hand, and the equally great difficulty of securing absolute
quiet where a large number of people are assembled, and the extreme
quickness of hearing when patients are passing into the hypnotic
state, which makes them liable to be roused by the slightest noise, it
must be evident, that a public lecture-room is by no means a
favourable place for operating on patients for the first time.
Prosecuting the investigation, as I have been doing, by experiments
and observations, I have, as might be expected, had occasion to modify
and alter some of my views and manipulations; but still the principle
remains the same.
top hypno1.co.uk
Chapter 2.
I now proceed to detail the mode which I practise for inducing the
phenomena. Take any bright object (I generally use my lancet case)
between the thumb and fore and middle fingers of the left hand; hold
it from about eight to fifteen inches from the eyes, at such position
above the forehead is may be necessary to produce the greatest
possible strain upon the eyes and eyelids, and enable the patient to
maintain a steady fixed stare at the object. [Footnote: At an
early period of my investigations, I caused the patients to look at a
cork bound on the forehead. This was a very efficient plan with those
who had the power of converging the eyes so as to keep them both
steadily directed on the object. I very soon found, however, that
there were many who could not keep both eyes steadily fixed on
so near an object, and that the result was, that such patients did not
become hypnotised. To obviate this, I caused them to look at a more
distant point, which, although scarcely so rapid and intense in its
effects, succeeds more generally than the other, and is therefore what
I now adopt and recommend.] The patient must be made to understand
that he is to keep the eyes steadily fixed on the object, and the mind
riveted on the idea of that one object. It will be observed, that
owing to the consensual adjustment of the eyes, the pupils will be at
first contracted : they will shortly begin to dilate, and after they
have done so to a considerable extent, and have assumed a wavy motion,
if the fore and middle fingers of the right hand, extended and a
little separated, are carried from the object towards the eyes, most
probably the eyelids will close involuntarily, with a vibratory
motion. If this is not the case, or the patient allows the eyeballs
to move, desire him to begin anew, giving him to understand that
he is to allow the eyelids to close when the fingers are again carried
towards the eyes, but that the eyeballs must be kept fixed , in
the same position, and the mind riveted to the one idea of the object
held above the eyes.
It will generally be found, that the eyelids close with a vibratory
motion, or become spasmodically closed. After ten or fifteen seconds
have elapsed, by gently elevating the arms and legs, it will be found
that the patient has a disposition to retain them in the situation in
which they have been placed, if he is intensely affected.
If this is not the case, in a soft tone of voice desire him to
retain the limbs in the extended position, and thus the pulse will
speedily become greatly accelerated, and the limbs, in process of
time, will become quite rigid and involuntarily fixed. It will also be
found, that all the organs of special sense, excepting sight,
including heat and cold, and muscular motion, or resistance, and
certain mental faculties, are at first prodigiously exalted,
such as happens with regard to the primary effects of opium, wine, and
spirits. After a certain point, however, this exaltation of function
is followed by a state of depression, far greater than the torpor of
natural sleep. [Footnote: I wish to direct especial
attention to this circumstance, as from overlooking the fact of the
first stage of this artificial hypnotism being one of excitement, with
the possession of consciousness and docility, many imagine they are
not affected, whilst the acceleration of pulse, peculiar expression of
countenance, and other characteristic symptoms, prove the existence of
the condition beyond the possibility of a doubt, to all who understand
the subject. I consider it very imprudent to carry it to the ulterior
stage, or that of torpor, at a first trial. Moreover, there is great
difference in the susceptibiIity to the neuro- hypnotic impression,
some arriving at the state of rigidity and insensibility in a few
minutes, whilst others may readily pass into the primary stage, but
can scarcely be brought into the ulterior, or rigid and torpid state.
It is also most important to note, that many instances of remarkable
and permanent cures have occurred, where it has never been carried
beyond the state of consciousness.]
From the state of the most profound torpor of the organs of special
sense, and tonic rigidity of the muscles, their may, at this stage,
instantly be restored to the opposite condition of extreme mobility
and exalted sensibility, by directing a current of air against the
organ or organs we wish to excite to action, or the muscles we wish to
render limber, and which had been in the cataleptiform state. By mere
repose the senses will speedily merge into the original condition
again. The modus operandi of the current of air producing such
extraordinary effects, I acknowledge myself quite unable to explain,
but I have no difficulty in producing and reproducing the effects by
the same means, whether performed by myself or others, and whether the
current of air is from the lips, from a pair of bellows, or by the
motion of the hand, or any inanimate object. The extent and abruptness
of these transitions (see page 63) are so extraordinary, that they
must be seen before the possibility is believed.
An abrupt blow, or pressure over the rigid muscle, will de-hypnotise
a rigid part; but, I have found pressing the nose will not restore
smell, unless very gentle and continued, nor will pressing a
handkerchief against the ear restore hearing when the ear has become
torpid, nor will gentle friction over the skin restore
sensibility to the dormant skin, or mobility to the rigid muscles
underneath, (unless so gentle as to be titillation, properly so
called) and yet a slight puff of wind will instantly rouse the
whole to abnormal sensibility and mobility : a fact which has
perplexed and puzzled me exceedingly.
At first I required the patients to look at an object until the
eyelids closed of themselves, involuntarily. I found, however, that in
many eases this was followed by pain in the globes of the eyes, and
slight inflammation of the conjunctival membrane. In order to avoid
this, I now close the eyelids, when the impression on the pupil
already referred to has taken place, because I find that the beneficial
phenomena follow this method, provided the eyeballs are kept fixed,
and thus, too, the unpleasant feelings in the globes of the eyes will
be prevented. Were the object to produce astonishment in the person
operated on, by finding himself unable to open his eyes, the former
method is the better; as the eyes once closed it is generally
impossible for him to open them; whereas they may be opened for a
considerable time after being closed in the other mode I now
recommend. However, for curative purposes, I prefer the plan which
leaves no pain in the globes of the eyes.
In fine, from a careful analysis of the whole of my experiments,
which have been very numerous, I have been led to the following
conclusion :- That it is a law in the animal economy, that by a
continued fixation of the mental and visual eye, on any object which
is not of itself of an exciting nature, with absolute repose of body,
and general quietude, they become wearied; and, provided the patients
rather favour than resist the feeling of stupor of which they will
soon experience the tendency to creep upon them, during such
experiments, a state of somnolency is induced, accompanied with that
condition of the brain and nervous system generally, which renders the
patient liable to be affected, according to the mode of manipulating,
so as to exhibit the hypnotic phenomena. As the experiment succeeds
with the blind, I consider it not so much the optic, as the sentient,
motor, and sympathetic nerves, and the mind through which the
impression is made. I feel so thoroughly convinced that it is a law of
the animal economy that such effects should follow such condition of
mind and body, that I hesitated not to give it as my deliberate
opinion, that this is a fact which cannot be controverted. As
to the modus operandi we may never be able to account for that
in a manner so is to satisfy all objections; but neither can we tell
why the law of gravitation should act as experience has taught us it
does act. Still, as our ignorance of the cause of gravitation
acting as it is known to do, does not prevent us profiting by an
accumulation of the facts known as to its results, so ought not our
ignorance of the whole laws of the hypnotic state to prevent
our studying it practically, and applying it beneficially, when we
have the power of doing so.
I feel confident that the phenomena are induced solely by an
impression made on the nervous centres, by the physical and psychical
condition of the patient, irrespective of any agency proceeding from,
or excited into action by another - as any one can hypnotise himself
by attending strictly to the simple rules I lay down; and the
following is a striking example of the fact, which was communicated to
me and two other gentlemen, by a most respectable teacher. He found
that a number of his pupils had been in the habit of hypnotising
themselves, and he had ordered them to discontinue the practice.
However, one day he ascertained a girl had hypnotised herself by
looking at the wall, and that her companions bad put a pen in her
hand, with which she bad written the word 'Manchester'; and she held
the pen very firmly - in fact the fingers were cataleptiformly rigid.
He spoke to her in a gentle tone of voice, and called her. She arose
and advanced towards him, and when awoke, was not aware he had called
her, or of what had passed. I have also had the state of the patient
tested before, during, and after being hypnotised, to ascertain if
there was any alteration in the magnetic or electric condition, but
although tested by excellent instruments, and with great care, no
appreciable difference could be detected. Patients have been
hypnotised whilst positively, and also whilst negatively, electrified,
without any appreciable difference in the phenomena; so that they
appear to be excited independently of electric or magnetic change. I
have also repeatedly made two patients hypnotise each other, at the
same time, by personal contact. How could this be reconciled with the
theory of a special influence transmitted being the cause of the
phenomena, plus and minus being equally efficient?
It is also well known, that occasionally the phenomena arise
spontaneously in the course of disease.
It is now admitted even by the editor of the Lancet, one of the
greatest opponents of mesmerism, in the leading article of 4th
February, 1843, that the phenomena 'are wonderful only to those who
are unacquainted with the aspects of disease'; and 'that we
continually see patients labouring under hysteria, and analogous forms
of nervous disease, falling suddenly into various states of stupor,
trance, and convulsion, without any assignable cause'. When it
is acknowledged that such effects as those named, may spring from such
slight influences as to be said to arise 'without any assignable
cause', can it be wondered at that important changes may be
induced by acting on the nervous system in the way I have adopted, of
which Mr Herbert Mayo, (whose competence to give an opinion on any
physiological subject no one will question, and who himself publicly
submitted to be operated on by me) observed, in the course of our
correspondence, that it induces 'a feeling of stupor, which anyone may
observe has a disposition to creep upon him, when he tries your
experiment of looking fixedly at an object as you direct'.
I thought it desirable, therefore, to adopt the name I did, for the
reasons explained in the introduction.
A patient may be hypnotised by keeping the eyes fixed in any
direction. It occurs most slowly and feebly when
the eyes are directed straight forward, and most rapidly and
intensely when they can be maintained in the position of a
double internal and upward squint.[Footnote: It is not a
little amusing to find any one try to distort so greatly, by garbled
statements, the plain meaning of an author, as to make it appear that
a writer of some articles on Animal Magnetism, in the Medical Gazette
in 1833, was well acquainted with my mode of operating. He observes at
page 856, 'On the majority of persons no influence whatever is
exhibited'. How does this coincide with the general success of my mode
as stated at page 24? 'On those least affected a number of anomalous
slight symptoms are produced'. He then describes those 'feelings of
heat and cold, and those of creeping and trembling', which, he adds,
'are only the usual imaginary feelings which most persons have if
their attention be strongly directed to any particular part of the
body, more especially if (as is generally the case with magnetic
patients) something is expected to occur'. Such are the symptoms
attributed by this writer to 'attention', but are these the symptoms
or phenomena induced by Hypnotism, as stated in Chapter IV? Or is
there the slightest similarity in the cause? In this author's view it
is the result of 'attention strongly directed to different parts of
the body', whereas mine is by attention riveted to something without
the body. The best mode of gathering the opinion of an author appears
to me to be that of his summing up at the conclusion of his subject.
Now, at page 1037, the subject is concluded by die following
observations : 'This, then, is our case. Every credible effect of
magnetism has occurred, and every incredible is said to have
occurred in eases where no magnetic influence has been exerted, but in
all which excited imagination, irritation, or some powerful mental
impression, has operated : where the mind has been alone acted on,
magnetic effects have been produced without magnetic manipulations :
where magnetic manipulations have been employed, unknown, and
therefore without the assistance of the mind, no result has ever been
produced'. Now, can any thing more be required than this, to prove
that this writer, as well as Bertrand, adheres to the theory of
imagination ? Such was the impression left on my mind by reading these
papers when they were published; and, together with Wakley's
experiments, determined me to consider the whole as a system of
collusion or illusion, or of excited imagination, sympathy, or
imitation. I therefore abandoned the subject as unworthy of further
investigation, until I attended the conversazioni of Lafontaine, where
I saw one fact, the inability of a patient to open his eyelids, which
arrested my attention; I felt convinced it was not to be attributed to
any of the causes referred to, and I therefore instituted experiments
to determine the question; and exhibited the results to the public in
a few days after.
It is now pretty generally known, that during the effort to look at
a very near object, there is produced, according to the direction of
the object, a double internal squint, or double internal and downward
or upward squint, and the pupils are thereby powerfully contracted. I
am not aware, however, that it has been recorded, that by directing
the eyes loosely, upwards or downwards, to the right or to the left,
as if looking at a very distant object, the pupils become very much
dilated, irrespective of the quantity of light passing to the
retina; so that in this manner we can contract or dilate the pupil at
will. To those who consider the movement of the iris as the mere
effect of irritability, I may observe, in that view, the former
position increases, the latter diminishes, the irritability. I may
farther remark, if the eyes are much strained in ANY
direction, I think the pupils will be found to contract as a
consequence.
It is important to remark, that the oftener patients are hypnotised,
from association of ideas and habit, the more susceptible they become;
and in this way they are liable to be affected entirely through
the imagination. Thus, if they consider or imagine there is
something doing, although they do not see it, from which they are to
be affected, they will become affected; but, on the contrary,
the most expert hypnotist in the world may exert all his endeavours in
vain, if the party does not expect it, and mentally and bodily comply,
and thus yield to it.
It is this very circumstance, coupled with the extreme docility and
mobility of the patients, and extended range and extreme quickness of
action, at a certain stage, of the ordinary functions of the organs of
sense, including heat and cold, and muscular motion, the tendency of
the patients in this state to approach to, or recede from,
impressions, according as their intensity or quality is agreeable or
the contrary, which I consider has misled so many, and induced the
animal magnetisers to imagine they could produce their effects on
patients at a distance, through mere volition and secret passes. [FOOTNOTE:
In the Medical Times of 26th March, 1842, I published
a letter on this subject, from which I make the following extracts :
'The supposed power of seeing with other parts of the body than the
eyes, I consider is a misnomer, so far as I have yet personally
witnessed. It is quite certain, however, that some patients can tell
the shape of what is held at an inch and a half from the skin, on the
back of the neck, crown of the head, arm, or hand, or other parts of
the body, but it is from feeling they do so; the extremely
exalted sensibility of the skin enabling them to discern the shape of
the object so presented, from its tendency to emit or absorb caloric.
This, however, is not sight, but feeling.
'In like manner I have satisfied myself and others, that patients
are drawn, or induced to obey the motions of the operator, not from
any peculiar inherent magnetic power in him, but from their exalted
state of feeling enabling them to discern the currents of air, which
they advance to, or retire from, according to their direction. This I
clearly proved to be the case today, and that a patient could feel and
obey, the motion of a glass funnel passed through the air at a
distance of fifteen feet.
'To remove all sources of fallacy as to the extent of influence
exercised by the patient herself, independently of any, personal or
mental influence on my part, whilst I was otherwise engaged, my
daughter requested the patient to go into a room by herself, and, when
alone, try neither she could hypnotise herself. In a short time, I was
told the patient was found fast asleep in my drawing-room. I went to
her, bandaged her eyes, and then, with the glass funnel, (which I used
to avoid the chance of electric or magnetic influence being passed
from my person to that of the patient) elevated, or drew up her arms,
and then her whole body. I now retired fifteen feet from her, and
found every time I drew the funnel towards me, she approached
nearer, but when it was forced sharply from me, she invariably
retired; and if it was moved laterally, she moved to the right or left
accordingly."]
I now continued drawing the funnel so as to keep up the currents
towards the door, and in this way, her arms being extended, and eyes
bandaged, she followed me downstairs and up again, a flight of
twenty-two steps, with the peculiar characteristic caution of the
somnambulist. After arriving at the top of the stair, I allowed her to
stand a little, and again began the drawing motion. She evidently felt
the motion, and attempted to come, but could not. I now endeavoured to
lead her by the hand, but found that the legs had become
cataleptiform, so that she could not move. I now carried her into
the drawing-room, and, after she was seated on a chair, awoke her. She
was quite unconscious of what had happened, and could not be made to
believe she had been down stairs - she said she was quite sure she
could have done no such thing without falling - and to this moment
believes we were only hoaxing her by saying she had had such a ramble.
'I had repeatedly performed this experiment with this patient and
others before, with the same result in all respects but walking up and
down stairs; and proved their readiness to be drawn by others equally
as myself when in that state; so that I consider it quite evident to
any unprejudiced person, that a patient can hypnotise himself
independently of any personal influence of another; and that it is by
extreme sensibility of the skin, and docility of the patients, that
they are drawn after an operator, rather than by magnetic attraction;
and that the power of discriminating objects held near the skin in
different parts of the body, is the result of feeling, and
not of sight.
'The moment I witnessed the attempts of a celebrated professor,to
draw a patient, I formed my opinion of the cause; - that it arose
from currents of air produced by his hand, together with the extreme
sensibility of the skin, and docility of the patients when in that
state; and my experiments have clearly proved this, some patients
acknowledging the fact.
'It may be interesting to remark, that whilst passing up and down
stairs the door bell rang, which produced such a tremor through the
whole frame as nearly caused the patient's fall- a fact quite in
accordance with the effect of any abrupt noise on NATURAL
somnambulists'.
It is owing to this extreme sensibility of the skin during
hypnotism, that patients may walk through a room blindfolded, without
running against the furniture - the difference of temperature, or
rather degree of conducting power of objects, and the resistance of
the air directing them.
I have frequently illustrated this with very sensitive patients in
the most beautiful and satisfactory manner, thus : By throwing any
fragrant and agreeable scent on a bare table the patients will
approach, anxious to smell it, but are repelled before they come quite
close to the cold table. Place a handkerchief on the table, on which
place the scent, and now the patient will approach close to it, and
revel in its fragrance. Remove the handkerchief, and the attractive
and repulsive movements will again ensue.
This was beautifully illustrated at a private conversazione at my
house lately, in the presence of several medical and other eminently
scientific gentlemen. Two patients were hypnotised, when one became so
enamoured of the scent of a gentleman's snuff-box as to follow him
round the room. He then laid the box about eighteen inches from the
edge of an uncovered table, when she advanced, her arms being
extended, anxious to reach the box, but when about ten or twelve
inches from it, she started back, from perceiving the impression of
the cold table at that distance. She now made another attempt to
approach the box, being attracted by the fragrance of its contents,
but was as speedily repelled by the cold table before she approached
it, and now kept bobbing over the box, much in the same manner as I
have witnessed in the attempts of a hungry dog to partake of very hot
food. The other patient, in passing round the table, also caught the
smell of the box, and advanced from another point, and thus both kept
bobbing over it, much to the amusement of all present. I now covered
the table with a handkerchief, and placed the box on it, when they
instantly approached close to it, and seemed to feast on its
fragrance; on removing the handkerchief they withdrew, and commenced
bobbing over it as at first. The former patient had never seen such
experiments, or been tested in this way before.
It would be difficult to adduce a more striking example than the
following of the fact, that the phenomena are produced by the fixation
of the mind and eyes, and general repose of the patient, and not from
imagination, or the look or will of another. After my lecture at the
Hanover Square Rooms, London, on the 1st of March, 1842, a
gentleman told Mr Walker, who was along with me, that he was most
anxious to see me, that I might try whether I could hypnotise
him. He said both himself and friends were anxious he should be
affected, but that neither Lafontaine nor others who had tried him,
could succeed. Mr Walker said, if that is what you want, as Mr Braid
is engaged otherwise, sit down, and I will hypnotise you
myself in a minute. When I went into the room I observed what was
going on, the gentleman sitting staring at Mr Walker's finger, who was
standing a little to the right of the patient, with his eyes fixed
steadily on those of the latter. I passed on, and attended to
something else, and when I returned a little after, found Mr Walker
standing in the same position fast asleep, his arm and finger in a
state of cataleptiform rigidity, and the patient wide awake, and
staring at the finger all the while. After I had roused Mr Walker, the
gentleman observed, 'this is really very strange, that no one can
mesmerise me; I must have extraordinary powers of resistance'.
I requested him to stay a little, and I would try what I could do for
him when all was quiet. In three minutes I had him asleep, and in a
little more quite rigid. The following reasons may be assigned for my
success after Mr Walker had so signally failed. He tried it whilst
there were several people in the room, who were moving about and
talking; I took care not to commence till all was quiet - Mr Walker
had not taken the precaution to make the patient direct his eyes in
the best possible manner, but I was careful that he should do so.
Moreover, although Mr Walker had not succeeded in putting him into the
somnolent condition, he had, no doubt partially affected him, and the
influence had not entirely passed off when I began my operation. Two
days after, Mr Walker accompanied me when I called on one of the most
celebrated mesmerisers in Europe, Who, during our conversation,
stated, that a glance of the eye was quite enough, in many cases, to
produce the effects. During our conversation, I presume, he had
determined to surprise both Mr Walker and myself, by keeping his large
intellectual eyes fixed on Mr Walker. The latter, however, suspecting
what was intended, and knowing my opinion as to the mode, of resisting
the influence of such fascination, kept his eyes moving, and
his mind roaming, and thus frustrated the volition of one of the most
energetic minds, and the glances and fascination of one of the finest
pair of eyes imaginable for such a purpose. I must remark, that Mr
Walker was once magnetised by M. Lafontaine, after having been several
times operated on by me, a circumstance which of course would render
him more susceptible to the influence of the animal magnetisers' modes
of operating, according to their own theory. Had Mr Walker believed
in the power, I know he would have become affected, even supposing the
gentleman referred to had no such intention - and I am not prepared to
say he had. Mr Walker, however, firmly believed he was trying to
mesmerise him by the fascination referred to; but, relying on my
opinion, and acting accordingly, he escaped. In order to show the
efficacy of my simple plan, in a short time after, in the presence of
the same gentleman, I requested Mr Walker to hypnotise himself. By
simply fixing his eyes and mind this was accomplished in about a
minute.
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Chapter 3.
I CONSIDER it unnecessary, in this treatise, to enter into a detailed
account of the ordinary phenomena of sleep, dreaming, and
somnambulism, as contrasted , with the waking state. Suffice it to
say, the waking condition is that of mental and bodily activity,
during which we are enabled to hold communion with the external world,
by perceiving the ordinary impressions of appropriate stimuli through
the organs of special sense, and of exercising the power of voluntary
motion, and the mental functions generally. The state of profound
sleep is exactly the reverse of this - a state of absolute
unconsciousness of all that is going on around, and suspension
of voluntary motion, and intellectual activity. In as far as regards
the organs of special sense, and voluntary motion, and a temporary
suspension of the mental energies, it is the emblem of death.
Between these extreme points there are gradual transitions,
so that there are all possible varieties of condition imaginable, from
the highest state of mental and bodily activity, to absolute torpor of
both. There are two conditions, however, to which I may briefly
advert - that of dreaming and of somnambulism. In the former,
there are some of the mental and bodily functions in a state of
partial activity, but, from the sensations arising from external
stimuli being perceived very imperfectly, erroneous impressions are
conveyed to the mind ; and, as happens in some cases of insanity, the
power of controlling the current of thought being absent, one idea
excites another, until the most incongruous combinations are produced
in many instances. Somnambulism, properly so called, is a state still
more nearly allied to the waking condition than dreaming. The mental
functions are more awake, a more just estimate of external impressions
can be formed, and there is the power of voluntary motion present in a
remarkable degree. Persons in this state are thus capable of being
directed by those around, into certain trains of thought and action.
The principal difference between the natural somnambulists, and those
who become so through hypnotising in the manner pointed out in this
treatise, is the greater tendency of the latter to lapse into a state
of profound sleep, unless prevented by being roused and
directed by those present. Natural somnambulists seem to be impelled
to certain trains of action by internal impulses ; but, so far
as I have seen, the artificial somnambulists have an inclination to
remain at absolute rest, unless excited to action by some impression
from without. In compliance with such excitement, however, they evince
great acuteness and docility. There is also another remarkable
difference. It is stated, that although natural somnambulists cannot
remember, when awake, what they were engaged in when asleep, they have
a vivid recollection of it when in that state again ; but I have found
no parallel to this in the somnambulism induced by hypnotism.
By this I mean that they cannot explain what happened during the
former somnambulic state, but they may approximate to the words and
actions which had formerly manifested themselves, provided they are
placed under exactly similar circumstances. For the extent to which
peculiar manifestations may be brought out by manipulating the head
and face, at a certain stage of hypnotism, see Chapter VI, where
examples are given of memory as regarded events which happened during
the waking condition, whilst they seemed to have no
recollection of what happened during a former state of hypnotism.
As to the causes of common sleep, I may remark, that, by the
exercise of the mental operations, and the impressions conveyed
through the organs of special sense, muscular effort, and the
discharge of other animal functions, the brain becomes exhausted, and
ceases to be affected by ordinary stimuli, and lapses into that
dormant state we call sleep. During this condition it becomes
recruited, and fitted for again receiving its wonted impressions
through the organs of sense, and of holding intercourse with external
nature, and exercising those powers of voluntary motion and mental
function peculiar to the waking condition.
It will be generally admitted, that the most refreshing, and
therefore the most natural sleep, accompanies that condition
or languor which follows the moderate exercise or fatigue of
all the bodily and mental functions, rather than an undue
exercise of one or more to the neglect of the others.
It is long since it was observed that inordinate attention to one
subject caused dreaming, instead of sound sleep. It
will also be found that the absolute length of time during which any
function may be exercised, depends very much on the continuity
of its exertion, or its alternation with that of other functions ;
thus the mind may become confused and bewildered by continuing one
particular study for a length of time, but may be able to return to it
with energy and advantage, and prosecute the subject longer on the
whole, by varying it with study of a different nature; moreover,
bodily disease, and even insanity, frequently arises from following
the mind to be occupied inordinately by one particular object or
pursuit, whether that may be religion politics, avarice, schemes of
ambition, or any other passion, emotion, or object of unvaried
contemplation.
In like manner, continued and over-intense muscular effort very soon
exhausts the power of the muscles so exercised or over-exerted ; and
by keeping the eyes steadily and constantly exercised by gazing on a
coloured spot, they soon cease to be able to discern the boundaries of
the respective colours, (Muller) and ultimately seem scarcely to be
capable of distinguishing the spot at all. The same might be proved of
the other senses. In fine, alternate action and repose is the law
of animated nature. [Footnote: This subject is
beautifully illustrated by Muller, at page 14I0, Vol. II. (Baly's
translation) which I now quote:
'The excitement of the organic processes in the brain which attends
an active state of the mind, gradually renders that organ incapable of
maintaining the mental action, and thus induces sleep ; which is to
the brain what bodily fatigue is to other parts of the nervous system.
The cessation or remission of mental activity during sleep, in its
turn, however, affords an opportunity for the restoration of integrity
to the organic conditions of the cerebrum, by which they regain their
excitability. The brain, whose action is essential to the
manifestation of mind, obeys, in fact, the general law which prevails
over all organic phenomena - that the phenomena of life being
particular states induced in the organic structures, are attended with
changes in the constituent matter of these structures. Hence, the
longer the action of the mind is continued, the more incapable does
the brain become of supporting that action, and the more imperfectly
are the mental processes performed, until at length sensations cease
to be perceived, notwithstanding the impressions of external stimuli
continue. This is entirely analogous to what frequently occurs during
the waking state, in the case of individual sensations'.
I must beg leave to take one exception to the correctness of these
remarks, and that is, moderate exercise, I consider, instead
of exhausting, seems rather to act as a salutary stimulus,
and thus strengthens both organ and function. He then
goes on to state, most lucidly and fairly, 'Nor merely the action of
the mind, but the long continued exertion of other functions of animal
life, such as the senses or muscular actions, induces the same
exhaustion of the organic states of the brain, and thereby want of
sleep and sleep itself ; for these different systems of the body
participate in the change which the organic condition of any one of
them may undergo. Lastly, impairment of the normal organic state of
the brain, by the circulation through it of blood charged with
imperfectly assimilated nutriment, as after full meals in which
spirituous drinks have been taken, also induces sleep. The narcotic
medicaments act still more strongly by the change they produce in the
organic composition of the sensorium. Even the increased pressure of
the blood upon the brain, produced by the horizontal posture, may
become the cause of sleep'.
Here then is the opinion of this author in a few words. The exercise
of function is attended with a change, deterioration, or wasting of
the organic structure at a more rapid rate than can be repaired by the
slow, but regular and persistent organic renovation continually going
on in the whole system. A cessation of sentient, and mental, and
muscular functions, therefore, as happens in sleep, becomes necessary
to afford time for the renovation of the deteriorated organic
structures of the respective organs, and of the brain in particular,
which, in so eminent a degree, sympathises and participates in the
organic changes which have been induced in other organs.
Liebig's views seem confirmatory of this, where he points out the
fact, that the chemical principles of those substances which act most
energetically on the brain and nerves have a composition analogous to
that of the substance of the brain and nerves, as in the case of the
vegetable alkaloids. He believes that all the active principles which
produce powerfully poisonous or medicinal effects, in minute doses,
are compounds of nitrogen ; and that those compounds, being resolved
into their elements, take a share in the formation, or transformation,
of brain and nervous matter.
It is on this very principle, of over-exerting the attention, by
keeping it riveted to one subject or idea which is not of itself
of an exciting nature, and, over-exercising one set of muscles,
and the state of the strained eyes, with the suppressed respiration,
and general repose, which attend such experiments, which excites in
the brain and whole nervous system that peculiar state which I call
Hypnotism, or nervous sleep. The most striking proofs that it is
different from common sleep, are the extraordinary effects produced by
it. In deep abstraction of mind, it is well known, the individual
becomes unconscious of surrounding objects, and in some cases, even of
severe bodily infliction. During hypnotism, or nervous sleep, the
functions in action seem to be so intensely active, as must in
a great measure rob the others of that degree of nervous energy
necessary for exciting their sensibility. This alone may account for
much of the duIness of common feeling during the abnormal quickness
and extended range of action of certain other functions. [Footnote:
It was certainly presuming very much on the ignorance of others for
any one to attempt so to pervert the meaning of an author, as to twist
what M'Nish has written on the article 'Reverie', and represent it as
the basis of my theory. How does M'Nish define it? 'Reverie', he says,
'proceeds from an unusual quiescence of the brain, and inability of
the mind to direct itself strongly to any one point ; it is often the
prelude of sleep. There is a defect in the attention
which, instead of being fixed on one subject, wanders over
a thousand, and even on these is feebly and ineffectively
directed'. Now this, as everyone must own, is the very reverse
of what is induced by my plan, because I rivet the
attention to one idea, and the eyes to one point, as
the primary dud imperative conditions. Then, as to another
passage, 'That kind of reverie in which the mind is nearly divested of
all ideas, and approximates nearly to the state of sleep, I have
sometimes experienced while gazing long and intently upon a river. The
thoughts seem to glide away, one by one, upon the surface of the
stream, till the mind is emptied of them altogether. In this state we
see the glassy volume of the water moving past us, and hear its
murmur, but lose all power of fixing our attention definitively upon
any subject ; and either fall asleep, or are aroused by some
spontaneous reaction of the mind, or by some appeal to the senses
sufficiently strong to startle us from our reverie'. Now, I should
have read this passage a thousand times without discovering any
analogy between it and my theoretical views. They appear to me to be
'wide as the poles asunder'. Instead of ridding the mind of ideas 'one
by one, till the mind is emptied of them altogether,'
I endeavour to rid the mind at once of all ideas but one,
and to fixthat one in the mind even after passing into the
hypnotic state. This is very different from what happens in the
reverie referred to, in which M'Nish confesses the difficulty 'of
fixing our attention definitively upon any subject'. Again, so
far from a reaction of the mind being sufficient to rouse patients
from the hypnotic state, as in the reverie referred to, I can only
state, that I have never seen patients deeply affected come out of it
without assistance ; and I heard Lafontaine say, he had been unable to
restore the Frenchman who was with him for twelve hours on one
occasion, when a surgeon operated on him ; and I have read the report
of another, who operated on a patient at Stockport, 'Charlie',
according to my method, and, from having allowed him to go too far,
experienced no small difficulty in rousing him, nor could he be
restored to speech after much manipulation, and buffeting, and
friction, till he had swallowed nearly half a tumbler glass of
neat gin. To prevent misrepresentation, I shall quote the case as
reported in the Stockport Chronicle of 4th February, 1842
- 'To the final instance the lecturer now drew particular attention.
It was that of a young man, recognised by many in the room by the
familiar name of 'Charlie'. He was just entering upon the state of
somnolence, and the attention of the audience was directed to the
fact, that it was so indicated, by the different members becoming
rigid. Presently his eyelids closed, and he became as though
apparently under the influence of catalepsy. It was tried to make him
sit down, but his whole frame was perfectly rigid, and that object
could not therefore be accomplished. He was then laid on the floor,
and the usual means, with cold water added, were employed in order to
bring him to a state of consciousness. After a time these partially
succeeded, his limbs became once more supple, and he was set in a
chair, apparently conscious, though his eyelids were not yet open. He
was several times requested to open them, and as often made the most
vigorous efforts to do so, but was unable ; at last they were opened,
and it was discovered that the operation had so far influenced the
entire functions of his body, that he had for a time lost the power of
utterance, the muscles of the throat and tongue still remaining in a
state of the most perfect rigidity. In this state, and being affected
by a tremor which seized every part of his person, the patient was
conducted into an ante-room, and placed before a fire, while the
operator continued to rub the parts, in order to excite them to
renewed action, dud to restore animation. All this, however, had not
the desired effect for some time, during which the patient evinced
feelings of considerable surprise at his condition ; but nevertheless
was exceedingly lively, and made several efforts to speak, but could
not. At last half a tumbler glass of neat gin was brought, the greater
portion of which he drank off, and this partially restored the power
of utterance, for he was afterwards able to articulate a little, and
asked, though only in a whisper, for his hat ; and also requested that
some water might be mixed with the remaining portion of the gin. He
complained also of a sense of excessive fuIness of the stomach ; and
said, in answer to inquiries, that although not feeling cold, he was
yet unable to resist the tremor which had seized him'.]
Was not this a beautiful illustration of the facility with which
patients might be roused from this condition 'by a reaction of the
mind'? Nor was this the only Case that evening, in which great
difficulty had been experienced in rousing patients from the hypnotic
state.
The untoward result referred to in the note above, I have no doubt,
was the effect of permitting the experiment to be carried too far. No
such consequence has ever followed in any of my operations, and for
this reason, that I have always watched each case with close
attention, and aroused the patient the moment I saw the slightest
symptom of danger. I shall, therefore, now point out the symptoms of
danger, with the mode of arousing patients, and thus preventing
mischief which might ensue from want of due caution in the operator.
Whenever I observe the breathing very much oppressed, the face
greatly flushed, the rigidity excessive, or the action of the heart
very quick and tumultuous, I instantly arouse the patient, which I
have always readily and speedily succeeded in doing by a clap of the
hands, an abrupt shock on the arm or leg by striking them sharply with
the flat hand, pressure and friction over the eyelids, and by a
current of air wafted against the face. I have never failed by these
means to restore my patients very speedily.
I feel convinced hypnotism is not only a valuable, but also a
perfectly safe remedy for many complaints, if judiciously used; still
it ought not to be trifled with by ignorant persons for the mere sake
of gratifying idle curiosity. In all cases of apoplectic tendency, or
where there is aneurysm, or serious organic disease of the heart, it
ought not to be resorted to, excepting with the precaution, that it
may be in the mode calculated to depress the force and frequency of
the heart's action.
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Chapter 4.
In passing into common sleep objects are perceived more and more
faintly, the eyelids close, and remain quiescent, and all the other
organs of special sense become gradually blunted, and cease to convey
their usual impressions to the brain, the limbs become flaccid from
cessation of muscular tone and action, the pulse and respiration
become slower, the pupils are turned upwards and inwards, and are contracted
(Muller).
In the hypnotic state, induced with the view of exhibiting what I
call the hypnotic phenomena, vision becomes more and more imperfect,
the eyelids are closed, but have, for a considerable time a vibratory
motion, (in some few they are forcibly closed, as by spasm of the
orbiculares) the organs of special sense, particularly of smell,
touch, and hearing, heat and cold, and resistance, are greatly exalted,
and afterwards become blunted, in a degree far beyond the torpor of
natural sleep; the pupils are turned upwards and inwards, but,
contrary to what happens in natural sleep, they are greatly
dilated, and highly insensible to light ; after a length of
time the pupils become contracted, whilst the eyes are still
insensible to light.
The pulse and respiration are, at first, slower than is natural, but
immediately on calling muscles into action, a tendency to
cataleptiform rigidity is assumed, with rapid pulse, and oppressed and
quick breathing. The limbs are thus maintained in a state of tonic
rigidity for any length of time I have yet thought it prudent
to try, instead of that state of flaccidity induced by common sleep ;
and the most remarkable circumstance is this; that there seems to be
no corresponding state of muscular exhaustion from such action. [Footnote:
The average of a great number of experiments gives me the following
results : The rise in the pulse from mere muscular effort, to enable
patients to keep their legs and arms extended for five minutes, is
about 20 per cent. When in the state of hypnotism it is upwards of 100
per cent. By arousing all the senses, and the head and neck, it will
speedily fall to 40 per cent, (that is, twice what it was when so
tested in the natural condition) and by rendering the whole muscles
limber, whilst the patient is in the state of hypnotism the pulse very
speedily falls to, or even below, the condition it was before the
experiment.]
In passing into natural sleep, any thing held in the hand is soon
allowed to drop from our grasp, but, in the artificial sleep now
referred to, it will be held more firmly than before falling asleep.
This is a very remarkable difference.
The power of balancing themselves is so great that I have never seen
one of these hypnotic somnambulists fall. The same is noted of natural
somnambulist. This is a remarkable fact, and would appear to occur in
this way, that they acquire the centre of gravity, as if by instinct,
in the most natural, and therefore, in the most graceful
manner, and if allowed to remain in this position, they speedily
become cataleptiformly and immovably fixed. From observing these two
facts, and the general tendency and taste for dancing displayed by
most patients on hearing lively music during hypnotism, the peculiarly
graceful and appropriate movement of many when thus excited, and the
varied and elegant postures they may be made to assume by slight
currents of air, and the faculty of retaining any position with so
much ease, I have hazarded the opinion, that the Greeks may have been
indebted to hypnotism for the perfection of their sculpture, and the
Fakirs for their wonderful feats of suspending their bodies by a leg
or an arm. [Footnote: It has been suggested to me, that it can
scarcely be doubted that the Bacchanalians, who had no feeling of
wounds, ('non sentit vuInera Moenas', - 0vid) and whose
condition was a stupor different from common sleep, ('Exsomnis
stupet Oevias', - Horace) were in the hypnotic condition
or nervous sleep, and therein excited to dance by music ; and that, as
uneducated maid-servants, when under the full influence of that state
of nerve, move with the grace and peculiar action of the most
accomplished dancers of pantomimic ballet, there is reason to believe,
not merely that the perfect grace exhibited in the attitudes
represented in ancient sculpture and painting, was derived from
studying the Bacchanalian and other mystic dancers, but that the
movements used by stage-dancers, in our days, have been transmitted to
us by continued imitation, through Italy, from the dancers in the
Greek mysteries. No person can see girls of humble education, under
the influence of music while in the nervous sleep, without perceiving,
that those individuals, if awake, could not move with the elegance
they exhibit under that influence. The reason of such grace probably
is, that it arises from the simple and pure effects of nature to
balance the body perfectly in all its complicated movements while the
power of sight is suspended.]
It thus clearly appears that it differs from common sleep in many
respects, that there is first a state of excitement as with opium, and
wine, and spirits, and afterwards a state of corresponding deep
depression or torpor.
In the case of two patients, symptoms very much the same as those
produced in them by the laughing gas, were produced twice on each
patient, and the only time I know of their having been hypnotised. One
lost the power of speech for two hours, as happened also after the
gas. Both these patients had hypnotised themselves. There is a
remarkable difference between the hypnotic condition, and that induced
by the nitrous oxide. In the latter there is great, almost
irresistible inclination to general muscular effort, as well
as laughter ; in the former there seems to be no inclination to any
bodily effort, unless excited by impressions from without.
When the latter are used, there is a remarkable difference again in
the power of locomotion and accurate balancing of themselves, when
contrasted with the condition of intoxication from wine or spirits,
where the limbs become partially paralysed, whilst the judgement
remains pretty clear and acute. The state of muscular quiescence, with
acute hearing, and dreamy, glowing imagination, approximates it
somewhat to the condition induced by conium.
During the course of last spring some lectures were delivered in
this town to prove that the mesmeric phenomena might be
induced by an 'undue continuance or repetition of the same sensible
impression' on any of the senses. Immediately after the first lecture
I instituted experiments according to this plan, but very soon
ascertained, that the sleep induced by this mode of operating, unless
through the eye, was nothing more than NATURAL or common sleep,
excepting in patients who had had the impressibility stamped on
them, by having been previously mesmerised or hypnotised. The
lecturer concluded his course by stating his opinion, that he knew no
sleep but natural or common sleep ; and by representing that he
considered the effects produced by the different modes to be the same.
[Footnote: This being his belief, there could be no novelty in
his views. The following was the language of Cullen, long before he
was born, 'If the mind is attached to a single sensation, it is
brought very nearly to the state of the total absence of impressions ;
or, in other words, to the state most closely bordering upon sleep ;
remove those stimuli which keep it employed, and sleep ensues at any
time'.]
M'Nish also writes, 'Attention to a single sensation has the same
effect (of inducing slumber). This has been exemplified in the case of
all kinds of monotony, where there is a want of variety to stimulate
the ideas, and keep them on the alert'.
And again M'Nish writes, 'I have often coaxed myself to sleep by
internally repeating half a dozen times any well known rhyme. Whilst
doing so the ideas must be strictly directed to this particular theme,
and prevented from wandering'. He then adds, that the great secret is
to compel the mind to depart from its favourite train of thought, into
which it has a tendency to run, 'and address itself solely to the verbal
repetition of what is substituted in its place' ; and farther adds,
'the more the mind is brought to turn upon a single impression,
the more closely it is made to approach to the state of sleep, which
is the total absence of all impressions'. Which also, some forty years
ago, wrote thus, 'Sleep is promoted by tranquillity of mind, * * * by
gently and uniformly affecting one of the senses; for
instance, by music or reading ; and lastly, a gentle external motion
of the whole body, as by rocking or sailing'. Counting and repeating a
few words have been also long and generally known and resorted to for
the purpose of procuring sleep.
Let any one read attentively the following extract from the Medical
Gazette of February 24, 1838, on the power of weak monotonous
impressions on the senses having the power of inducing sleep, and many
phenomena usually attributed to mesmerism, and say what merit could be
due to a person acquainted with the article referred to, for recording
a note to the same effects some six or eight months thereafter,
and that without having instituted a single experiment to prove the
correctness of the hypothesis? 'For the other slight symptoms' (others
enumerated having been attributed to imagination or emotion of mind)
'of vapours, drowsiness, and at last natural sleep, no other cause
need be sought than the tediousness and ennui of passing the hands for
more or less than an hour over the most sensitive parts of the body.
This is only an instance of the well known effect of weak, monotonous
impressions on the senses inducing sleep ; analogous examples are
found in the soothing influence of a body seen slowly vibrating, or of
a distant calm scene, or the motions of the waves, or of quivering
leaves ; or in impressions on the sense of learning by the sound of a
waterfall, the rippling of billows, the humming of insects, the low
howling of the winds, the voice of a dull reader ; or on the nerves of
common sensation by gentle friction of the temple or eyebrow, or
any sensitive part of the body ; the rocking of a cradle ; any
slow and regular motion of the limbs or trunk ; all these instances
show that the effect of monotonous impressions on the senses is to
produce, in most persons, tranquillity, or drowsiness, and ultimately
sleep'.
Where, then, is the great merit of any one having recorded a note
six or eight months after this was published, that these phenomena
were induced by 'the undue continuance and repetition of the same
sensible impression!'
I believe most, if not all the patients this gentleman exhibited at
his lectures had been previously mesmerised or hypnotised, which, if I
am correct in this supposition, from the circumstances already
referred to, (see page 36, and note, page 61) would completely nullify
the importance of his apparent results. However, I have never
heard of his having operated successfully, and exhibited the
phenomena on numbers of patients taken indiscriminately from a mixed
audience, ,who had never been operated on before ; or produced
curative results such as I have so repeatedly done. I therefore
consider it a fair inference, that until the same phenomena are
produced by his method in cases of persons which have never
been hypnotised or mesmerised, nothing is proved beyond the fact which
I have so often urged, namely, the power of imagination, sympathy,
and habit, in producing the expected effects ON THOSE PREVIOUSLY
IMPRESSED. [Footnote: A very decided proof of this was
exhibited at one of my lectures, where, as may be seen from the report
of it, twenty-two who had been operated on before, laid hold of
different parts of each other's persons or dresses, and by
concentrating their attention to that act, and anticipating the
effect, they all became hypnotised in about a minute. After another
lecture, in the ante-room, sixteen who bad been hypnotised formerly,
stood up in the same manner, and also one who had never
been hypnotised. In about a minute all were affected excepting
the latter. I then operated on him alone in my usual way, and in
two or three minutes he was very decidedly affected. Suffice it to
say, I have varied my experiments in every possible form, and clearly
proved the power of imagination over those previously impressed,
as the patients have become hypnotised or not by the same appliance,
accordingly to the result which they previously expected. This readily
accounts for the result of Mr Wakley's experiments with the 0keys.]
From overlooking another important fact which I have repeatedly
explained, that all the phenomena are consecutive, that is, first
increased sensibility, inobility, and docility, and afterwards a
subsidence into insensibility and cataleptiform rigidity, this
gentleman, by mistaking and exhibiting the primary phenomena
for the secondary, seems to have managed to deceive both
himself and some others who are satisfie
