Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted MenHarris, J. W. (John William)
Science
Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted Men
Harris, J. W. (John William)
Ghosts; Hypnotism
In their case, and in so-called spiritual experiences (spiritistic is the
better word), there is generally a preceding feeling like entering an
icehouse.[2] This is described as occurring to the butler of the Haunted
House at B----, Harold Sanders, in 1896; to Mr. "Endell," and to others.
This chill is surely identical with, or very closely related to, the
chill of hypnotism mentioned by Binet and Féré.[3] The balance of the
circulation has been interfered with. They state that this is the only
symptom by which any one can tell he has been hypnotised, and that this
is not always present.
[Footnote 2: "Alleged Haunting," &c., pp. 50, 139.]
[Footnote 3: "Animal Magnetism," chap. xiv.]
In continuous slight hypnotism, chills on part of the scalp, part of the
shoulder, part of the face, or the ribs, etc., may be experienced; they
are possibly signs of slackening hypnotic power.
There is another symptom, hyperaesthesia of the eye, which Binet and Féré
omit; this is extremely rare among men, and with women results from local
affection. The symptom probably appears in hypnotic cases from the
cutaneous lesser sciatic nerve, which is connected with the nerves of the
sexual system, being affected.
The chill and the hyperaesthesia of the eyes can be so severe that a
doctor or an oculist would be consulted.
The feeling of gravel in the eye is probably produced by light falling
through chinks on the eye when hyperaesthetic during sleep--the lids may
be slightly tightened, as it were; this is perhaps a nearer approach to a
profounder hypnotism.
"During actual hypnosis," says Mr. Harry Vincent, "frequently the
contraction of the muscles is so obvious that the subject appears to be
indulging in a grim smile."[4]
[Footnote 4: "Elements of Hypnotism," p. 99.]
I venture to call attention to the grim smile worn by Charles Kingsley in
the portrait which prefaces the large edition of his Life and Letters.
Charles Kingsley suffered from frequent fits of exhaustion; these are
often the results of excessive hypnotism after the limit (at the fifth or
sixth effort) of the hypnotist's power has been reached. His brother
Henry, we learn from Mr. Kegan Paul's "Memoirs," was excessively
hypnotisable. His character was weaker perhaps than Charles's, but the
geniality of his writings bears testimony to his remarkable ability.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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