Article January 19, 1899 Issue

Hypnotism

That Way Madness Lies.

We extract the following valuable testimony prepared by Sidney Kuh, M. D., and published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, for December, 1898.

The question which we will attempt to answer, will be this: Can the hypnotized be injured physically or mentally by hypnotism?

What the dangers are is stated in a paper by Dr. Henry Raymond, written in 1893, in which he says: "The risk of mental deterioration by the frequent induction of states of incomplete consciousness, hypnotic or other, should be distinctly taught and labelled 'Dangerous—this way madness lies,'" This opinion is supported by numerous other writers. Thus, Professor M. Benedikt of Vienna, in his book on Hypnotism and Suggestion, states that hypnotic experiments have a demoralizing influence on the intellect, will-power, and physical independence of the patient. Artificial catalepsy, he continues, resembles narcotic drugs, in giving momentary relief at the cost of subsequent injury.

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