Hypnotism: Its History, Practice and Theory

 

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I should not hesitate to use it; for were I to do so I should be neglecting my duty as a doctor, which is of more importance than any scientific signboard. Naturally a physician should not make use of a remedy the employment of which is contrary to medical ethics ; but I am firmly convinced that he has no right to deprive a patient of the benefits of a remedy because he thinks it acts mysteriously. Consequently, I should not hesitate in certain cases to send patients to some miracle-working spring—Lourdes, for example; and, in fact, fifty to sixty patients are yearly sent to Lourdes from the Salpetriere (Constantin James). Charcot has expressed the same opinion in his well-known work La Foi qui guerit. When questioned about faith-healing, he replied among other things : Elie intlresse d'ailleurs tout medecin, le but essentiel de la medecine dtant la guerison des malades sans distinction dans le proced& curatif d mettre en oeuvre. It cannot be denied that faith and emotional excitement produce many results at Lourdes. We may well believe Rommelare's statement that the water from Marseilles cured a patient who believed in it. But even if hypnosis were only effectual from its mysteriousness, its use would not be thereby contra-indicated.
The temporary loss of will can hardly be considered an objection to hypnotic therapeutics from the ethical standpoint, though it has occasionally been brought forward. If it were, we should have to give up the administration of chloroform, for there is loss of will in chloroform narcosis. The main point is to choose a trustworthy experimenter. We only take chloroform from a person whom we can trust to administer the anaesthetic without danger, and whom we believe will take no advantage of the loss of will induced.
But a far more important objection than any of the above is the danger of hypnosis. Even if we cannot consider hypnosis absolutely safe, the dangers should not be exaggerated. "The best assertion that can be made about a remedy or method of cure

290 HYPNOTISM.
Let us now consider the dangers of hypnosis in detail, and at the same time the means of preventing them.
Mendel maintains that hypnosis induces nervousness; that nervous people grow worse, and sound people nervous through its use. But he was only led into this error because he was unacquainted with the harmless method of hypnotizing and making suggestions. It is quite true that prolonged fixed attention, as practised by Braid, may produce unpleasant sensations; but such discomforts are of no great significance. To avoid making exciting suggestions is of far greater importance,

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