Hypnotism: Its History, Practice and Theory

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IN order to understand the gradual development of modern hypnotism from animal magnetism, we must distinguish two points: firstly, the belief that there are human beings endowed with a power not acting by suggestion, but by means of which they can exercise an unwonted influence over others, either by direct contact or even from a distance; and secondly, the fact that a particular psychical state, which we term hypnosis, can be induced in human beings by means of certain actions: This second fact has long been known; it was frequently interpreted in a fallacious manner, and was utilized, more especially by Oriental peoples, for religious purposes and superstitious customs. Kiesewetter attributes the early soothsaying by means of precious stones to hypnosis, which was induced by steadily gazing at the stones. This is also true of divination by gazing into vessels and crystals, as the Egyptians have long been in the habit of doing (Rossi), and as has often been done in Europe—by Cagliostro, for example. Bonfigli believes that his essay on Cagliostro proves that the well-known adventurer was fully acquainted with the means of inducing hypnosis, and surmises that Cagliostro had been taught in his youth how to hypnotize by Althotas, since the latter was versed in physical science, Oriental languages, and the hypnotic art of the fakirs. The hypnotic phenomena are also found to have existed several thousand years ago among the Persian Magi, as well as up to the present day among the Indian yogis and fakirs, who throw themselves into the hypnotic state

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