When there is question of hypnotic séances or exhibitions such as are
designed to feed the morbid cravings of the public for what is
mysterious and sensational, I would call special attention to the
following objections against such practices.
1. Medical authorities maintain that it requires at least as much
knowledge of therapeutics to use hypnotism safely as it does for the
general practice of medicine, and requires of a physician who engages in
it a more thorough mastery of his profession than many other branches of
the healing art, and therefore that it is as objectionable to allow
non-professionals to deal with hypnotism as it would be to allow medical
practice promiscuously to all persons without a Doctor's diploma. In
fact, in Russia, Prussia, and Denmark none but licensed physicians can
lawfully practise hypnotism. Aside from a variety of accidents which may
result to the subject hypnotized from the ignorance of physiology in the
hypnotizer, there is this general injury sustained, that even strong
subjects frequently experimented upon contract a disposition to be
readily thrown into any of the three morbid states of the mesmeric
trance. All these states are real diseases and are allied to hysteria,
epilepsy, and a whole family of nervous troubles, any one of which is
sufficient to make a patient very miserable for life, and even to lead
him to an early grave.
2. The moralist has still stronger objections against the use of
hypnotism, except when it is used as a means to most important results.
He maintains that one of the greatest evils that can befall a man is the
weakening of his will-power; this leaves him a victim to the cravings of
his lower appetites. Now the frequent surrender of one's will to the
control of another is said (very reasonably, it would seem) to bring on
a weakening of the will or self-control. We see this exemplified in the
habitual drunkard. He loses will-power to such an extent that he can
scarcely keep his most solemn promises or withstand the slightest
temptations. There is a very serious question asked by the moralist upon
another resemblance of an hypnotic subject to a drunkard. He asks
whether any man has a right for the amusement perhaps of the curious
lookers-on to forfeit for awhile his manhood, or the highest privilege
of his manhood--his powers of intellect and free-will. He admits that we
do so daily in our sleep. But then he argues that sleep is a necessity
of our nature directly intended by the Creator, a normal part of human
life. Besides it is a necessary means for the renewal of our strength,
and on the plea of necessity the moralist may admit the use of hypnotism
when it is needed for the cure of bodily diseases. But for the mere
amusement of spectators he maintains that it is wrong for a man thus to
resign his human dignity, as it would be wrong for him to get drunk for
the amusement of lookers-on. Still, in this latter case the evil would
be greater, for in drunkenness there is contained a lower degradation,
inasmuch as the baser passions are then left without all control, and
are apt to become exceedingly vile in their licentious condition. The
hypnotic subject has at least the mind and will of the hypnotizer to
direct him. Here, however, appears the need of another caution, namely,
that the hypnotizer should be known to be a virtuous man; else the evil
that he can do to his subject, as is readily seen, may be even worse
than that resulting from a fit of drunkenness. And as men who occupy
even respectable positions may yet be vile at heart, it is very
desirable for prudence' sake to have no one hypnotized in private
without the presence of a parent, close relative, or some other party,
who will see to it that nothing improper be suggested during the trance.
For the scenes gone through during the hypnotic state, though not
remembered by the subject upon his return to consciousness, are apt to
recur to him afterwards like a dream, showing that they have left traces
behind them.
3. Legal writers and lawyers have serious charges against hypnotism.
This practice, they maintain, if publicly exhibited to old and young,
begets dangerous cravings for sensational experiments. Turning away
men's attention from the sober realities and duties of social life, it
prompts them to pursue the unnatural and abnormal. It was this craving
that in less enlightened ages led men to the superstitious practice of
astrology and witchcraft. At present it leads to such vagaries and
unchristian and often immoral practices as are connected with spiritism,
faith-cures, mind-reading, and similar foolish or criminal or at least
dangerous experimentations which dive into the dark recesses found in
the border-land of the preternatural. The atmosphere of that region is
morally unhealthy and should be barred off by the guardians of public
morals.
The most common objection of legal writers is directed against the
various crimes to which hypnotism is apt to lead men of criminal
propensities. They point to the statements of Dr. Luys, a respectable
authority on hypnotism, who says: "A patient under the influence of
hypnotism can be made to swallow poison, to inhale noxious gases. He can
be led to make a manual gift of property, even to sign a promissory note
or bill, or any kind of contract." Indeed, how can notaries or witnesses
suspect any fraud when even the Doctor needs all his experience and all
his skill to avoid falling into error? In criminal matters a man under
suggestion can bring false accusations and earnestly maintain that he
has taken part in some horrible crime.