Personal appearance has something to do with success in this line; but much less than is generally supposed. Many insignificant looking men have succeeded remarkably well; but they have been men of unusual knowledge and force of character. The physician must listen with interest to symptoms, and make careful examinations, to assure himself of the actual conditions, and, no less, to assure the patient that he has done so. Then, if he find only an imaginary disease, a simple assurance to that effect will be all that is necessary, provided he can make his patient believe it. Often he must admit a functional disturbance and proceed by the suggestion of medicine, and assurance of speedy cure, to make the sufferer believe; or, deeply rooted in his conviction, he will leave in disgust, and go to another physician, and another, until he finds one who will agree with him and treat him as long as he will come and pay. For example, I once had a lady come to me for treatment for uterine disease. She had been under treatment for ten years by a prominent gynaecologist, and he had died.

She never expected to be well, but hoped I would be able to keep her alive, and in some degree of comfort, as her former physician had done so long.

* It must not be inferred from the above that hypnotism is within itself dangerous. Hypnotic sleep is a quiet, restful condition, absolutely free from any injur'ous effects. Hypnotism does not weaken the will nor in any sense Impair the health or mental faculties of the patient. - Editon.

I found her perfectly well in every way, except her imagination. But I could not tell her so, for she had unbounded faith in her former physician, and would not have believed anyone who contradicted him. She was much surprised and pleased, however, by the suggestion that she had now reached a stage where she might soon be cured, and received the accustomed treatment. At the second visit remarkable improvement was suggested. At the third visit she was told that she was practically well and at the fourth, completely so. She believed, and has remained well physically and mentally.

On the other hand I had a lady visit me who had been told by her physician that she had angina pectoris, and was likely to die in any of her attacks. She was taking nitroglycerin, by his direction, which produced severe headache. She was miserable, suffered severe attacks of pain at frequent intervals, expected to die soon in one of these attacks, and gave a very exact summary of the symptoms of angina, as she had unconsciously learned them from her physician. I examined her carefully and found she had nothing worse than atonic dyspepsia and intercostal neuralgia. She had perfect confidence in me, and a simple assurance of her true condition, not only cured the imaginary angina, but practically cured the dyspepsia and neuralgia which, I have no doubt, were perpetuated by fright and worry.

One more case in this connection is of interest. A stout, hearty colored girl, 19 years old, came to me saying she had run a needle into the calf of her leg and broken it off. I assured her it would give her no trouble and could find no trace of it upon examination. In about a week she came back, limpine and complaining of severe pain in the leg, and insisted upon my cutting out the needle. I told her I would have to do much cutting and might not be able to find it after all; but, as she insisted, I made an incision, with cocaine anaesthesia, over the spot she pointed out. I made a large incision, felt carefully in all directions, but found no needle. I had prepared a piece of needle corresponding to her description of the piece in her leg, and dropped it on the floor where she would see it. Just as I told her I could not find the needle she spied the piece on the floor. She examined it, was sure it was the same one she had in her leg, and that it had dropped out without my seeing it. Several years have elapsed, but she has had no more pain in the leg. So powerful was the suggestion that the pain, real or imaginary, was cured at once. I believe the needle was really in her leg, but that the pain was chiefly imaginary, and due to suggestion.

None of these women were in any sense hysterical and they are only a few typical cases of many I have seen. I have had numbers of patients come to me for the removal of tumors that did not exist; and, in some instances, it has proved a difficult matter to convince them of the fact. Such tumors are the ones removed by Perkinism and other '"isms." They are imaginary tumors and imaginary cancers. I do not hesitate to say, that no real cancer was ever cured by suggestion in the shape of Perkinism, Christian Science or any other guise. But, that many reputable persons believe themselves to have been so cured, I do not doubt.

Indeed, tumors, especially of the abdomen, are frequently diagnosed by competent physicians, when they either do not exist or shortly disappear. I have, myself, in three cases, found abdominal tumors as large as a cocoanut, that disappeared entirely within two weeks; and in two of these cases my diagnosis was confirmed by two other surgeons of ability. One old gentleman would probably have had an operation performed but for his age and feeble condition. I have had considerable experience with abdominal surgery, but am unable to say what these tumors were. I merely mention them to show how easy it is for persons to believe themselves cured of tumors, or cancers, when they are imaginary or of the disappearing variety.

In all diseases not purely, or largely, imaginary, suggestion should be used as an adjunct to other appropriate treatment; and should be directed chiefly to the relief of fright, worry, pain and sleeplessness, all of which are serious obstacles to digestion and nutrition, and, consequently, to resistance to germs, and to the repair of lesions. It may contribute much to the comfort and cheerfulness of the patient, to the shortening of the illness, and to the saving of life. I have seen even incurables stand weeks of acute suffering with remarkable fortitude and cheerfulness under the cheering suggestions of a physician in whom they had confidence, and seen them collapse into abject misery during his enforced absence, although left in hands equally skillful in other respects. Most physicians appreciate this fact and, consciously or unconsciously, apply it; but some of the brightest and otherwise best equipped do not, and are consequently failures. A hypodermatic injection of water will often cause as profound sleep as one of morphia, if the patient believes it to be morphia; or will be equally effective in relieving pain.

Simple assurances that sleep will come or that pain will cease are equally effective if believed.

It is usually unnecessary to deceive patients. A cheerful manner, an emphasizing of every point of improvement, a statement that everything is going on in a satisfactory manner toward recovery, that improvement is beginning and will soon be felt, that recovery may confidently be expected, as early assurance as possible that danger is past, all do much to cheer and improve, and are usually within the bounds of truth. Complications and disasters should never be suggested, and should be treated as lightly as possible when they occur. At times actual deception is not only justifiable, but is necessary to the saving of life or to even moderate comfort. But in such cases the family should always be informed of the true condition. Even in hopeless cases, cheerfulness and comfort may be maintained for weeks, months or years by constant cheering suggestions and by with-holding unfavorable facts. It is indeed a cheerless condition that holds out no hope, and one that need seldom be encountered.

It is one thing, however, to assure a patient, suffering from some dangerous disease, that there is nothing the matter, and do nothing else to relieve him, and quite another thing to give him a somewhat similar assurance while doing everything possible to obviate the danger and bring about a cure. A clear distinction should be made between the medically ignorant person who would say to a typhoid fever patient, "There is nothing the matter with you. There is no such thing as disease. You simply imagine you feel badly. You are well," or who would pray for his recovery, expecting a miracle to be performed, and who, having no knowledge of medicine, does nothing for his relief; a clear distinction I say should be made between such a person and the educated physician who would say, "You have fever; but if you will go to bed and take the diet and medicine prescribed, you will recover. You will not be very ill. You will be better tomorrow. Your headache will be better after a few hours' rest and a dose or two of medicine," and who at the same time sees that these instructions are carried out by a good nurse, and that his patient has the best treatment known to science, and who intelligently watches every symptom as the case progresses, giving cheerful suggestions for all that are disagreeable, and never forgetting to remedy them or avoid them if possible.

In the first instance the patient is asked to believe more than is credible. He really gets little of the benefit even of suggestion. If he recovers the credit will be due to unassisted or outraged nature.

In the second case he will probably believe the suggestions. They will allay his anxiety and do much to relieve his pain. His nutrition will not be damaged by worry, fear or pain. He will be made comfortable by good nursing and medicines, and, not, only will his illness be shorter and less unpleasant, but his recovery will be much more certain, and will be due to assisted nature