Complete Hypnotism, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism: How to Hypnotize: Being an Exhaustive and Practical System of Method, Application, and Use — John Shaqi
Complete Hypnotism, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism: How to Hypnotize: Being an Exhaustive and Practical System of Method, Application, and UseAlpheus, A.
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Complete Hypnotism, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism: How to Hypnotize: Being an Exhaustive and Practical System of Method, Application, and Use
Alpheus, A.
Hypnotism; Mesmerism; Spiritualism; Telepathy
Dr. Cocke describes one or two experiments of his own which have an
important bearing on the question of criminal suggestion. Says he: “A
girl who was hypnotized deeply was given a glass of water and was told
that it was a lighted lamp. A broomstick was placed across the room and
she was told that it was a man who intended to injure her. I suggested
to her that she throw the glass of water (she supposing it was a
lighted lamp) at the broomstick, her enemy, and she immediately threw
it with much violence. Then a man was placed across the room, and she
was given instead of a glass of water a lighted lamp. I told her that
the lamp was a glass of water, and that the man across the room was her
brother. It was suggested to her that his clothing was on fire and she
was commanded to extinguish the fire by throwing the lighted lamp at
the individual, she having been told, as was previously mentioned, that
it was a glass of water. Without her knowledge a person was placed
behind her for the purpose of quickly checking her movements, if
desired. I then commanded her to throw the lamp at the man. She raised
the lamp, hesitated, wavered, and then became very hysterical, laughing
and crying alternately. This condition was so profound that she came
very near dropping the lamp. Immediately after she was quieted I made a
number of tests to prove that she was deeply hypnotized. Standing in
front of her I gave her a piece of card-board, telling her that it was
a dagger, and commanded her to stab me. She immediately struck at me
with the piece of card-board. I then gave her an open pocketknife and
commanded her to strike at me with it. Again she raised it to execute
my command, again hesitated, and had another hysterical attack. I have
tried similar experiments with thirty or forty people with similar
results. Some of them would have injured themselves severely, I am
convinced, at command, but to what extent I of course cannot say. That
they could have been induced to harm others, or to set fire to houses,
etc., I do not believe. I say this after very careful reading and a
large amount of experimentation.”
Dr. Cocke also declares his belief that no person can be hypnotized
against his will by a person who is repugnant to him.
The facts in the case are probably those that might be indicated by a
common-sense consideration of the conditions. If a person is
weak-minded and susceptible to temptation, to theft, for instance, no
doubt a familiar acquaintance of a similar character might hypnotize
that person and cause him to commit the crime to which his moral nature
is by no means averse. If, on the other hand, the personality of the
hypnotizer and the crime itself are repugnant to the hypnotic subject,
he will absolutely refuse to do as he is bidden, even while in the
deepest hypnotic sleep. On this point nearly all authorities agree.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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