Mr. S. R------, a gentleman aged eighty-one, had been for many years a patient of mine, and was subject to attacks of gout, which showed itself in various ways. On this occasion (July) it took the form of sciatica of the right side. There was extreme tenderness along the whole course of the sciatic nerve, and the pain was very severe. The treatment I had previously adopted - colchicum internally and poppy-head fomentations externally - was practised, but he continued to suffer much and to be unable to sleep, so on the third day I proposed hypnotism, to which he gave a ready assent. In a few minutes - using verbal suggestion and fixation of the eyes - he went off into a light doze, and in that condition his thigh was well rubbed and absence of pain suggested. The old gentleman remained in a somnolent state for about ten minutes, and awoke feeling somewhat relieved. He slept well that night, and the operation was repeated daily for three days, with the result that he was able to leave his bed within a week, whereas previously he had always been confined to it for three weeks by similar attacks.

He was an extremely nervous and sensitive subject.