Whenever it becomes desirable to produce insensibility to pain by mental influence, first place the subject in the somnambulistic state by any one of the various methods, and then gradually suggest to him that the portion of the body in which you desire anaesthesia is losing its power of sensation. For instance, make some such suggestions as the following:

"Your arm is getting somewhat numb. Touch it with your other, hand and see if you can feel anything. No, you can't tell that it is being touched. Now pinch it. See, you don't feel anything. Here, strike it hard with this stick, and you will not feel it. Why, you can do whatever you want with it, and you will not feel the pain. It is absolutely insensible to all pain."

The following case in practice illustrates the ordinary method of procedure:

Robert McGann, a woodworker, twenty-six years of age, presented himself at the clinic with a badly mutilated thumb. It had been crushed in the cogwheels of a machine and was manifestly beyond all hope of being saved. He realized that it must be removed, but was loud in his protestations against "taking chloroform."

Here was a case where hypnotism was clearly indicated, and was consequently employed, with most satisfactory results. The patient was ignorant of what hypnotism meant and had not even heard of it. He was approached in the following manner:

"Well, you plainly see that we will have to cut off your thumb. But you say you will not take chloroform, so we will have to use another method, because you can't stand the pain of an operation."

"But I'll not take cocaine, either. My brother-in-law's cousin took it at the dentist's to get a tooth pulled out, and they had to work with him for five: hours to save his life."

"No, we'll not give you cocaine, either; we'll hypnotize you, and then cut it off."

"Hypnertize me! Sure, what's that?"

"Well, that means that we will all keep very quiet and let you go to sleep, and when you are sound asleep we will cut off the thumb without your knowing it, and you will not feel a particle of pain."

"Ah, I see; you mean to give me morphine or opium and make me sleep. But I'll not take a bit of it. My wife's Uncle Jerry took some of it once to stop the pain of the rheumatism, and he forgot to wake up again. No, sir; I'm not going to be killed because I got my thumb smashed. None of your poisons for me."

Then it was explained to him, in as plain language as possible, just what hypnotism really meant. He listened with the greatest attention, and the idea pleased him wonderfully.

"That's the business," he said. "Go ahead; I'm ready. Put me to sleep and swack the old thumb off of me as soon as you can."

He was put to sleep by the ordinary method, and when in profound hypnosis the following appropriate suggestions were made to him:

"Robert, you have hurt your thumb; look at it carefully, and the more you look at it the less it will pain you. Watch it very closely. The pain is leaving; it doesn't pain you at all."

His countenance assumed a look of intense interest and his eyes became riveted upon the unfortunate member. When the pain apparently vanished a happy smile spread over his face. A few passes were then made over his forehead and downward over the body, and with great emphasis, and very slowly, he was spoken to as follows:

"Your arm is getting stiff; it is very stiff; you can't move it, but it doesn't hurt you in the least. Your thumb is no good to you and you want it cut off. Sit perfectly still. We will cut off your thumb and do it without hurting you at all. You will like to watch us do it."

By such words he was kept perfectly motionless during the whole operation, which was quickly performed, without its giving him the least twinge of pain. He was a most interested spectator and smiled pleasantly at all movements, being desirous that the operation should be performed. The stitches were inserted and the stump carefully dressed before he was gradually aroused.

"Now everything is finished; you can move your arms, and there is no pain. There will be no pain. You are glad the thumb is off. Wake up! Wake up!"

He woke up, and from that moment Robert McGann became an earnest advocate of hypnotism. His case was one of many others equally successful. This kind of work can be done for nearly all patients requiring minor surgical operations.

A few cases of the performance of dangerous surgical operations under the influence of hypnosis have been recorded. That more have not been performed in this manner is probably due to the fact that but few surgeons who perform capital operations are hypnotists, and those few are unable to persuade their patients to submit to this method. When a subject cannot fully believe that he can be hypnotized sufficiently to safely undergo a dangerous operation while under the influence of hypnotism, it is best not to undertake it, for the surgeon would be liable to great damage were an accident to happen under such circumstances. At the present time the benefits and powers of hypnotism are not sufficiently well known by the public to make it possible to find many who would give their consent.

In the peformance of minor surgical operations it is different. In such cases persons are always anxious to avoid taking chloroform or ether, and can be readily persuaded to allow the operation to be performed under hypnotic influence. Accidents do not occur and there is no liability of poor results being blamed upon the employment of hypnosis.

Probably no field promises such a wide usefulness for hypnotism at the present time as minor surgery. It will be a great blessing to humanity when all surgeons become expert hypnotists. Prof. William Young, a noted surgeon, once remarked: "When you administer chloroform to a man you shake him over his own grave." Ether is not such a dangerous article as chloroform, but its indiscriminate use is most reprehensible.

It is true that comparatively few actually die from the effects of chloroform or ether while upon the operating table, and the introduction of these anaesthetics was a blessing to humanity. They have rendered possible the marvelous advances in surgery that have marked the last few decades. Nevertheless, there is a marked tendency to resort to their employment upon the most trivial occasions and under adverse circumstances when there is really no necessity for their use. When absolutely harmless means can be adopted to accomplish a desired result, it is manifestly wrong to employ means that place life in peril.

The value of hypnotism in surgery has been abundantly tested and absolutely proven, and some of the most advanced surgeons of the land are setting a worthy example to all others by taking advantage of its marvelous powers upon every possible occasion.

At times it is desirable, during public or private exhibitions of the powers of hypnotism, to demonstrate the possibility of producing profound anaesthesia or insensibility to pain. It is commonly done by sewing the lips together by needle and thread, or by passing hat pins through the cheeks. In some instances the tongues of several persons have been sewed together.

During all such demonstrations the utmost precaution must be observed. Never under any circumstances mutilate the subject's body by such performances without first obtaining his consent in the presence of a third party before he is placed under the hypnotic influence.

The sewing of tongues together is of too great risk to be performed for mere sensational effect; the least misstep or fall of one of the subjects might cause the most serious consequences under such circumstances.

Before inserting needles or other instruments into hypnotized persons, be sure that such articles are rendered aseptic by first immersing them in some good aseptic fluid.

Seeing is believing in all such cases, and the most skeptical persons readily realize the powers of hypnotism when they personally view the production of anaesthesia in subjects placed under its influence, and anyone who witnesses such exhibitions can the more readily be induced to submit himself to hypnosis when it is necessary for him to be operated upon.