HYPNOTISM AND SUGGESTION.
Hypnotism and Suggestion. By R. Osgood Mason. (Kogan Paul, Trench, and Co. Gs.)—Hypnotism and its allied phenomena are only nowadays beginning to be treated in a rational manner, From the days of Apollonius of Tyana and the Witch of Endor they have been vaguely known to empirics, who utilised them in order to mystify and amaze the inquirer, but only within the last century have they become the subject of scientific investiga- tion. Dr. Osgood Mason, who is a well-known American student of this interesting field, and has already given us a very valuable book on "Telepathy and the Subliminal Self," now describes the attempts which have been made by himself and others to use "Hypnotism and Suggestion in Therapeutics, Education, and Reform." Many of the cases which he describes are truly marvellous, and would be incredible if they were not recorded as having occurred in the practice of a trust- worthy physician, who is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and a valued contributor to the leading medical journals of the United States. Yet the principle to which they can all be reduced is simple, if not elementary. " The one important contribution which hypnotism has made to a rational system of therapeutics is its full demonstra- tion of the influence of the mind over the various organs and functions of the body." In a sense this has always been per- ceived; from the dawn of medicine it has been known that men could frighten themselves into many diseases, and that the mess sane was an important condition towards the preservation 'of the corpus sanum. But the researches of the last half-century have gone far beyond this elementary truth. "It may here be fairly asked," writes Dr. Mason," Has it been definitely established, by experiments thoroughly carried out, that the mind can Control physical, physiological processes in the body—the process, for instance, of digestion or lactation ? Can it cause a blister to be raised upon sound and healthy skin without the application of any irritant or any medicinal substance whatever ? These are test examples, and they have all been successfully carried out under the supervision of perfectly honest and compe- tent witnesses, many of them under my own observation and treatment. A principle, then, is here established. The mind can be so concentrated upon a physiological process as to stimulate that process to unusual activity, so as to produce curative effects, and even to superabundant activity, so as to produce pathological effects or disease." There is nothing in the least "super- natural" in this fact, which helps us to understand such phenomena as the production of the stigmata in a religious enthusiast like St. Francis, or the power of certain Indians to inhibit the vital functions and simulate, or even produce, death itself by a mere effort of will. Dr. Mason, in the interesting book now before us, shows, by a selection of cases from his own practice, how this principle of the mind's power over the body may be utilised in the cure of many purely physical ailments. He goes farther, and shows how hypnotism and suggestion may be used in education and reform. Their importance in this sphere can hardly be overrated. "When one views the number of children brought into the world with imperfect mental organisa- tions and vicious tendencies, and sees how little impression in general is made upon them by the ordinary and even the special processes of education, it is of interest to inquire if there are no other methods by which these deficiencies may in a measure be remedied, and the vicious tendencies eradicated." Hypnotism and suggestion present themselves as the basis of such a method of treatment. Dr. Mason gives some cases in which he has pro- duced a truly wonderful result by their use. We shall quote one, not as by any means the most remarkable, but as the shortest: — "A little boy, seven years of age, was a most unhappy coward, —afraid of the slightest pain, and a coward and cry-baby among his playmates. He had some slight disease of the scalp, which it was necessary to treat, but he would cry and run away the moment I entered the room. After one or two unhappy and only partially successful attempts at treatment, I decided to try suggestion. Placing him in a chair opposite mc, I took his face and head firmly between my hands, and putting my face near his I commanded him to look steadily in my eyes. It was very difficult to secure his attention, but having succeeded I soothed him with passes and light touches until his eyelids drooped; he was perfectly quiet, subjective, and sleepy, but not asleep. I then suggested that he would no longer be a crying, whimpering coward, but a strong, brave boy ; that he would take hie treatment without fear, and that he would stand up sturdily for his rights among his playfellows. This was repeated over and over, gently, but firmly he all the while remaining passive and sleepy, and apparently taking no notice whatever of my sugges- tions. . The next time I called he was shy, but not troublesome, and with two or three repetitions of the suggestions he came promptly and bravely to his treatment. I was also informed that the change in his manner among his playmates was equally
marked; certainly all cringing and cowardly manner had dis- appeared, and he seemed self-reliant and happy."
A number of such cases go far to shake any scepticism as to the powers of suggestion,—which, of course, has always been un- consciously employed, more or less, in all successful schemes of education. Dr. Mason points out with truth that its possibilities, when it is scientifically handled, are only just dawning on the world. We can strongly recommend his very instructive and— to the outsider—truly amazing book to the careful study of all who are concerned with the education and moral training of minds below the average in intelligence or self-control. Dr. Mason writes sensibly and shrewdly, as well as with wide know- ledge; nothing better has been said of Christian Science, for instance, than the remarks to be found in his first chapter.
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