Microscopical anatomy teaches that the morphological elements of the gray matter of the brain are carried in the central part of the nerves to all parts of the body. There are distributed throughout the body many collections of this gray matter. Martin, in his book entitled, "The Human Body," compares these small masses (ganglia) to telegraphic stations which carry and perhaps elaborate the information which is received at the periphery through the senses to the telegraphic central station - the brain.

We know that the substances of which the nervous system is composed are very complex. We do not know the chemical changes which take place in it as the result of its activity. All that we know about the so-called pathological anatomy of the nervous system has been discovered by studying specimens of nerves and brain taken from the dead body, or by studying those which have been removed from the living body during an operation, the specimens themselves in either case being dead.

The electrical experiments conducted by physiologists upon the nerves and muscles taken from frogs and other animals are familiar to all. They give us no information as to what the essence of the mind is. All we really know of the mind is by its manifestations, and these pass through the nervous system and the sensory and motor apparatus to the external world. Neither physiology, chemistry nor pathology has as yet given us any information as to what the ulterior causes of thought are due.

Hence it follows, in the light of our present knowledge, that we cannot formulate any theory of mental and nervous exhaustion which will not be largely the result of speculation.

Having hypnotized persons afflicted with all grades of neurasthenia, and having succeeded in some cases and failed in others in giving relief, the only thing that is left for me to do is simply to indicate the patients who were helped, and indicate and describe those who were not.

In what I am about to say I do not wish to be understood, especially by physicians, as making dogmatic assertions, but shall give in the clearest possible manner my views, which have been formed as a result of my personal experience, plus what I have read of the works of others. I do not quote extensively here, as space will not permit.

The cases of neurasthenia in which hypnotism has, in my hands, given the best results, were those in which nervous exhaustion had been induced as a result of over-study or of some other severe strain of the nervous system. Neurasthenia following the abuse of tobacco and alcohol will yield quickly. Hypnotism is more successful hi that class of neurasthenics, who, after their cure has been effected, have a purpose in life. In chronic neurasthenia its success will be in the direct ratio to the ability of the hypnotist to cure by suggestion, not only the habits of living, but the modes of thought of the subject. It is sometimes exceedingly difficult, nay, impossible, to do this, in persons who are indolent and who possess no mental resources which enable them to provide suitable occupation and amusement for themselves.

Hypnotism may develop, but it cannot make an intellect which never existed. In applying it to neurasthenia I study the voice of the patient carefully. I believe it to be the best index which wo possess, of the moral character and mental condition, if it is only understood correctly. Narrow, sordid men and women have voices which, while widely different in musical pitch, have certain qualities in common. Depressed, gloomy people always show it by the voice. One can tell an illiterate man from the tones of his voice, even if he is speaking a language which is unknown. This subject has never received sufficient study. Having paid particular attention to it, I have watched carefully and without prejudice for the purpose of contradicting or verifying my first impression, particularly of so-called neurasthenics.* While the disease is not confined to any one class of people, its symptoms are so different in persons of different temperaments as to be scarcely recognizable. Any system of therapeutics which is to relievo or wholly cure this condition must take into account, first, the temperament, the mental habits, and kind of education, all bodily states, and last, but not least, the external environments of the patient. Every faculty must be acted upon.

Self-control is the pre-requisite. Self-confidence the second.

*The Voice as an Index to the Soul. J. R. Cocke, M. D. Arena, Jan., 1894.

The greatest possible amount of diversion compatible with the intellectual capacity of the patient should bo prescribed. The past history too, should be learned and taken into account. Not only the bodily history, but all defeated ambitions, all unrealized hopes, aye, every disappointment, every joy should be known and understood, and, strange as it may seem, the affections should be clearly comprehended, for there are many who go through life and who never feel or experience deep, true love. These, indeed, are difficult cases to cure. For, caring for nothing else in the world, they are selfishly preoccupied and study assiduously each ailment, real or imaginary.

When men or women are blase they are equally difficult to treat successfully.

I know a patient who is wealthy, who has everything in the world to live for, social position, kind friends - everything. He has the opportunity to do good and to be of use in every way. He gives his money freely, but he cannot give his better self, because it does not exist. It is impossible to entertain him with anything. Books for him have no charm, the theatre no fascination. Music and poetry do not reach him. The ambition to be successful in business is not his, and all in the world that he cares for, all that he cuddles and tends, are his own feelings and complaints, He cannot be reached even through the passions. Food and drink have for him no temptations. He lives in the world, bored by the things which should interest him and make his life worth living. He has tasted of everything. He has drank of all the good things of life. He has travelled, and yet the world has made practically no impression upon him. Loving friends have nurtured and cared for him, and he gives back only cold expressions of love for their pains. He does what he conceives to be his duty, and, in the ordinary sense of the word, he does it well.

He provides for the poor, he attends church, he is connected with a great many benevolent enterprises, but love, the one thing that makes life worth living, he has never felt. Hypnotism naturally could not relieve the imaginary or real ailments with which such a man must necessarily be afflicted.

This is not an exaggeration, and, while his case is somewhat extreme, there are, I am sorry to say, thousands of men and women like him in the world. Perhaps the condition is not as profound in them, but it exists in such a degree as to spoil their own lives and the lives of those around them. To what extent this class of individuals could acquire that which they lack, if they were trained in early childhood, I do not know. But the experiment of training children who show these tendencies should be tried, by reaching what is left of their moral natures through every means possible, and hypnotism may prove one of the most valuable of them.