Though this book is chiefly concerned with the medical aspect of hypnotism and suggestion, attention has been directed to the important role they play in all relations of life. Lawyers, clergymen, and schoolmasters must study the subject from their professional standpoint if they wish to keep abreast of the times. I have referred to Professor Bernheim's experiments (see note p. 81) in foisting imaginary actions and even crimes on highly suggestible that she would become insusceptible to telepathic influences, and would recover her self-confidence and spirits. She almost immediately began to feel stronger in mind and less hysterical, and in three weeks she went home, thoroughly convinced that in future she was proof against such influences. Suggestion alone did not suffice to remove the false ideas, for several medical men and others had tried argument in vain. The idea was too deep-seated to be stirred by ordinary methods, and from the way things were tending, I have little doubt but that the patient would very soon have drifted into melancholia or dementia. Her suspicion that hypnotism had something to do with her symptoms is interesting.

There is no doubt but that as the subject becomes more into vogue we shall find a great number of persons will imagine themselves victims of this, to them, mysterious agency. The electric telegraph and telephone have been credited by scores of insane persons with being the source of their troubles, and hypnotism is a very likely thing for the mental patient on the lookout for a delusion to take up.

The other case was more serious, and led to a great deal of trouble. A lady who has for years carried on reformatory work in a Midland town was greatly impressed by the evidence she had heard of the success of hypnotism in curing the craving for drink, and instead of procuring the services of a medical man, she experimented on some of her girls herself. Girls of this class are notoriously susceptible to hypnotism, and she found no difficulty in sending five out of the seven she operated on into somnambulism. The result surpassed her expectation, and three of the five girls seem to have been absolutely cured, and to have remained perfectly sober ever since. Two of the others, influenced by bad companions, turned upon the unfortunate lady, accused her of having hypnotized them for immoral purposes, and made the situation altogether very uncomfortable for her. I have hypnotized many women of the same class in institutions, and have never noticed anything peculiar; but this lady tells me that on each occasion she hypnotized those girls they awoke in a somewhat dazed state, and were under the impression that they were with their former companions and in their old haunts. subjects, even in the waking state.

For instance, he got a phthisical patient who had been bedridden for weeks to affirm that he had seen Professor Liegeois knock a man down in the Rue St. Dizier the day before. The man became so convinced of the truth of the story that he swore to it before a gentleman who posed as a juge d'instruction. Professor Forel (op. cit., p. 147) relates similar experiments, especially with children, also without hypnotism. For example, he said suddenly to Miss X-----that a young man who had just then entered the room had stolen her purse a month ago at the railway-station. She at first looked surprised, but almost at once acquiesced, said she remembered it perfectly, and demanded his punishment; moreover, she added details out of her head, such as the amount in the purse, etc. In a sensational trial at Buda Pesth a few years ago some Christian children swore to the kidnapping and murder of a companion by Jews for sacrificial purposes. The idea had been suggested to them so imperatively that they believed in the reality. Imaginative children are often punished for lying when their only fault is self-deception. One sees the same confusion of fiction with fact in hysteria, delirium, and general paralysis of the insane. It is important to recognize the possibility of this form of false witness.

It is most dangerous to the accused, for the witness thinks himself speaking the truth, and is correspondingly plausible and convincing. In a difficult case hypnotizing the witness would probably elucidate the real facts.

Many barristers are masters of the art of suggestion, and can make a weak witness contradict himself almost at pleasure; they even use the expression 'I suggest.' A provincial coroner tells me he has to be most careful in his examination not to suggest incidents to country witnesses, they are so apt to accept them. The committal of a much-talked-about crime is very likely to be followed by others similar to it, the outcome of imitation and suggestion; and one sees how after a murder weakminded but innocent persons often cause much trouble to the authorities by false confession and self-accusation.

As the question of the State regulation of the use of hypnotism may at any moment become a burning one, I here append the draft of an Act which was approved by the Royal Belgian Academy of Medicine, and discussed by the Belgian Parliament in 1891. It is now, I believe, the law of the land.

LEOPOLD II.,

R O I DES BELGES. A tous presents et a venir, Salut. Sur la proposition de Notre Ministre de la Justice,

NOUS AVONS ARRETE ET ARRETONS:

Notre Ministre de la Justice est charge de presenter, en Notre nom, aux Chambres legislatives, le projet de loi dont la teneur suit:

Article i.

Quiconque aura donne en spectacle au public une personne hypno-tisee par lui-meme ou par autrui, sera puni d'un emprisonnement de quinze jours a six mois et d'une amende de vingt-six francs a mille francs.

Article 2.

Quiconque, n'etant pas qualifie pour exercer Part de guerir, aura hypnotise une personne qui n'avait pas atteint l'age de dix-huit ans accomplis ou n'etait pas saine d'esprit, sera puni d'un emprisonnement de quinze jours a un an et d'une amende de vingt-six francs a mille francs, alors meme que la personne hypnotised n'aurait pas ete donnee en spectacle au public.

En cas de concours avec les infractions punies par les dispositions legales concernant Part de guerir, la peine prononcee par le present article sera seule appliquee.

Article 3.

Sera puni de la reclusion quiconque aura, avec une intention fraud-uleuse ou a dessein de nuire, fait ecrire ou signer par une personne hypnotisee un acte ou une piece enoncant une convention, des dispositions, un engagement, une decharge ou une declaration. La meme peine serra appliquee a celui que aura fait usage de l'acte ou de la piece. Donne a Laeken, le 14me avril, 1890.

LEOPOLD. Par le Roi: La Ministre de la Justice, Jules LE JEUNE.

* Juridical Review, January, 1891.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE THE NATURE OF THE PHENOMENA OF HYPNOTISM; ITS VALUE AS A THERAPEUTIC AGENT; AND THE PROPRIETY OF USING IT.

The Committee, having completed such investigation of hypnotism as time has permitted, has to report that they have satisfied themselves of the genuineness of the hypnotic state. No phenomena which have come under their observation, however, lend support to the theory of ' animal magnetism.'

The experiments which have been carried out by members of the Committee have shown that this condition is attended by mental and physical phenomena, and that these differ widely in different cases.

Among the mental phenomena are: altered consciousness, temporary limitation of will-power, increased receptivity of suggestion from without, sometimes to the extent of producing passing delusions, illusions, and hallucinations, an exalted condition of the attention, and post-hypnotic suggestions.

Among the physical phenomena are vascular changes (such as flushing of the face and altered pulse-rate), deepening of the respirations, increased frequency of deglutition, slight muscular tremors, inability to control suggested movements, altered muscular sense, anaesthesia, modified power of muscular contraction, catalepsy, and rigidity, often intense. It must, however, be understood that all these mental and physical phenomena are rarely present in any one case. The Committee take this opportunity of pointing out that the term ' hypnotism' is somewhat misleading, inasmuch as sleep, as ordinarily understood, is not necessarily present.

The Committee are of opinion that as a therapeutic agent hypnotism is frequently effective in relieving pain, procuring sleep, and alleviating many functional ailments. As to its permanent efficacy in the treatment of drunkenness, the evidence before the Committee is encouraging, but not conclusive. Dangers in the use of hypnotism may arise from want of knowledge, carelessness, or intentional abuse, or from the too continuous repetition of suggestions in unsuitable cases.

The Committee are of opinion that when used for therapeutic purposes its employment should be confined to qualified medical men, and that under no circumstances should female patients be hypnotized except in the presence of a relative or a person of their own sex.

In conclusion, the Committee desire to express their strong disapprobation of public exhibitions of hypnotic phenomena, and hope that some legal restriction will be placed upon them.*

Signed) F. NEEDHAM, Chairman.

T. Outterson Wood, Hon. Sec.

* British Medical Journal, July 29, 1893.