1
/
of
1
OGB
HYPNOTISM, As It Is
HYPNOTISM, As It Is
Regular price
$0.99 USD
Regular price
Sale price
$0.99 USD
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Quantity
Couldn't load pickup availability
An excerpt from the chapter:
THE EVIL EFFECTS OF HYPNOTISM.
Harmless.
Notwithstanding all the wild and vague talk about the harmful effect of this dreadful (?) and mighty (?) power, it is one of the most innocent agents known to modern science.
In all my experience, and I have hypnotized thousands of people, I have never had an instance in which it produced the slightest evil results. Dr. Bernheim, of the University of France, and Dr. Moll, of Berlin, both able physicians and men of years of experience with hypnotism, make precisely similar assertions. In fact, I knew of no man at the present day with wide experience with the subject who claims that hypnotism is a harmful agent, though we frequently read of cases in which people have been hypnotized and remain in the trance condition. It is only justice to state that none of these has the least semblance of truth. I have investigated a large number of them, and found them to be purely fictitious. In fact, even if the hypnotist were mean enough to desire to place a spell over any one, which should continue for a length of time, it would be totally beyond his power to do so; a spontaneous awakening will occur in all cases in time.
Nervous Diseases.
I have heard of cases in which certain nervous diseases have resulted from being hypnotized, and at the cost of considerable trouble I have taken the pains to look most of these up personally, while the few I could not investigate myself were investigated by local physicians who made a report to me. In no instance have I found any one who has ever been permanently injured in the slightest degree even from being practiced upon by raw amateurs, which we do not ordinarily consider advisable, not that hypnotism will in itself hurt any one, but it can be more intelligently applied by persons skilled in its application. On the other hand, I have found many cases in which persons had been cured of chronic diseases by these same raw amateurs, when such diseases' had been treated with medicine for several years unsuccessfully.
Upon the mind and nervous system it has an effect similar to natural sleep. It is a quiet, restful condition, which in most cases is very beneficial and hurtful to none.
Temporary Evils.
Should the ignorance of some operator cause hypnotism to produce even temporary evil effects, which is all that it could ever be made to produce, these effects could be immediately banished by an intelligent application of hypnotism. It stands as a remedy for every evil effect that even a careless operator might cause it to produce.
If I were selfish, as many are, I would say that no one, physician or anybody else, should practice hypnotism without passing an examination therein, but I can find no facts upon which to support such argument. When it comes to treating diseases with hypnotism, I think there is no question but that a man skilled in its application will cure where others will fail, but that any real harm would result from being operated upon by an incompetent person cannot be shown, as nothing of the kind has ever happened so far and hypnotism has certainly been practiced by enough ignorant operators to give this phase of the subject a fair trial. If a technical examination were required how many physicians even would be allowed to practice it ?—very few at present.
Ignorance.
When a man is hypnotized, and anything of any nature happens to him thereafter, it is the practice of people who are totally unacquainted with the subject to ascribe it immediately to hypnotism. This accounts for much of the sensational stuff which has appeared. In these cases a little investigation by a party who knows anything at all of the nature of hypnotism and medicine will reveal other causes and show conclusively that hypnotism had nothing whatever to do with the matter.
Sometimes hysterical people have slight attacks of hysteria upon being hypnotized the first time or two, but it would be extreme folly to suppose that such were due to hypnotism. The nervous excitement connected with trying a thing they do not understand brings on the attacks, which, however, immediately disappear if you get the party under the influence; and repeated hypnosis will usually break up the attacks entirely; so, instead of its being harmful, it is very beneficial in all these cases. We need not feel at all alarmed about its developing latent hysteria. On the contrary, it will check all tendencies in this direction if proper suggestions are given.
Neurotics.
The statement sometimes made that people of a neurotic temperament make the best hypnotic subjects is totally unsupported by experience. I have never found them any more susceptible than others, if, indeed, as susceptible....
THE EVIL EFFECTS OF HYPNOTISM.
Harmless.
Notwithstanding all the wild and vague talk about the harmful effect of this dreadful (?) and mighty (?) power, it is one of the most innocent agents known to modern science.
In all my experience, and I have hypnotized thousands of people, I have never had an instance in which it produced the slightest evil results. Dr. Bernheim, of the University of France, and Dr. Moll, of Berlin, both able physicians and men of years of experience with hypnotism, make precisely similar assertions. In fact, I knew of no man at the present day with wide experience with the subject who claims that hypnotism is a harmful agent, though we frequently read of cases in which people have been hypnotized and remain in the trance condition. It is only justice to state that none of these has the least semblance of truth. I have investigated a large number of them, and found them to be purely fictitious. In fact, even if the hypnotist were mean enough to desire to place a spell over any one, which should continue for a length of time, it would be totally beyond his power to do so; a spontaneous awakening will occur in all cases in time.
Nervous Diseases.
I have heard of cases in which certain nervous diseases have resulted from being hypnotized, and at the cost of considerable trouble I have taken the pains to look most of these up personally, while the few I could not investigate myself were investigated by local physicians who made a report to me. In no instance have I found any one who has ever been permanently injured in the slightest degree even from being practiced upon by raw amateurs, which we do not ordinarily consider advisable, not that hypnotism will in itself hurt any one, but it can be more intelligently applied by persons skilled in its application. On the other hand, I have found many cases in which persons had been cured of chronic diseases by these same raw amateurs, when such diseases' had been treated with medicine for several years unsuccessfully.
Upon the mind and nervous system it has an effect similar to natural sleep. It is a quiet, restful condition, which in most cases is very beneficial and hurtful to none.
Temporary Evils.
Should the ignorance of some operator cause hypnotism to produce even temporary evil effects, which is all that it could ever be made to produce, these effects could be immediately banished by an intelligent application of hypnotism. It stands as a remedy for every evil effect that even a careless operator might cause it to produce.
If I were selfish, as many are, I would say that no one, physician or anybody else, should practice hypnotism without passing an examination therein, but I can find no facts upon which to support such argument. When it comes to treating diseases with hypnotism, I think there is no question but that a man skilled in its application will cure where others will fail, but that any real harm would result from being operated upon by an incompetent person cannot be shown, as nothing of the kind has ever happened so far and hypnotism has certainly been practiced by enough ignorant operators to give this phase of the subject a fair trial. If a technical examination were required how many physicians even would be allowed to practice it ?—very few at present.
Ignorance.
When a man is hypnotized, and anything of any nature happens to him thereafter, it is the practice of people who are totally unacquainted with the subject to ascribe it immediately to hypnotism. This accounts for much of the sensational stuff which has appeared. In these cases a little investigation by a party who knows anything at all of the nature of hypnotism and medicine will reveal other causes and show conclusively that hypnotism had nothing whatever to do with the matter.
Sometimes hysterical people have slight attacks of hysteria upon being hypnotized the first time or two, but it would be extreme folly to suppose that such were due to hypnotism. The nervous excitement connected with trying a thing they do not understand brings on the attacks, which, however, immediately disappear if you get the party under the influence; and repeated hypnosis will usually break up the attacks entirely; so, instead of its being harmful, it is very beneficial in all these cases. We need not feel at all alarmed about its developing latent hysteria. On the contrary, it will check all tendencies in this direction if proper suggestions are given.
Neurotics.
The statement sometimes made that people of a neurotic temperament make the best hypnotic subjects is totally unsupported by experience. I have never found them any more susceptible than others, if, indeed, as susceptible....
Share
