Another instance of the accidental discovery of hypnotic power was the case of Mr. Charles Gardiner, living in a suburb of Cincinnati. He and his wife had planned to attend an evening entertainment, and before leaving the house Mrs. Gardiner attempted to put to sleep their three-year-old child, that the older children would not be bothered by doing so. Being in a hurry and consequently nervous, she failed in her efforts and the child got in a state frequently known as the "tantrums," and resisted all efforts made to quiet her. Mr. Gardiner became quite angry at the noise and delay and seizing the child said: "Here, I'll put her to sleep." He held the child at arm's length and shook her and commanded her in very forcible terms to "go to sleep and stay to sleep till I tell you to wake up." She went to sleep, and did so with such suddenness that both father and mother feared something was wrong. They laid her in the crib, watched her breathing for awhile, noting that it was all right, and then left. The child slept soundly all night and was sleeping when Mr. Gardiner left for business next morning.

About 11 o'clock he was summoned home by the message that "We can't wake up the baby." At the same time the family physician had been sent for and had vainly expended his efforts before Mr. Gardiner arrived, and being told the circumstances of the previous evening he declared it a clear case of hypnotic sleep. As soon as the father entered the room he took the child in his arms and said: "Baby, wake up, quick, wake up," and in an instant the child was awake, perfectly sound and well. The incident, for awhile, caused a great shock, but it revealed to Mr. Gardiner his hypnotic powers, which he afterward utilized in various ways.

It may not be generally so considered, but it is a fact that the putting to sleep of infants is usually a species of hypnotism, the monotonous lullaby of the mother and her quiet determination to produce sleep being but the usual method of producing hypnosis from which the child in time naturally awakens, because it is not profound.