Studies in the Out-Lying Fields of Psychic ScienceTuttle, Hudson
Religion
Studies in the Out-Lying Fields of Psychic Science
Tuttle, Hudson
Parapsychology
There are two distinct states of hypnotism. The first is that in which
most platform experiments are made. The sensitive is capable of carrying
on conversations, answering questions, and is governed by a “dominant
idea,” believing all the operator wishes, and doing as commanded.
The sensitive rapidly enters the next stage, when he becomes insensible
to pain, and irresponsive to the address of any one except the operator.
Until this stage is reached consciousness and memory are retained, a
fact fatal to the theory of automatic action or “unconscious
cerebration.” In this profound state the sensitive has no memory of
events which occur. It is an induced, incipient somnambulism, the true
counterpart of that which under proper condition appears spontaneously.
The report of the Committee on Hypnotism, vol. I., p. 95, of Proceedings
of American Society for Psychical Research, shows that it confined its
attention to fifty or sixty students of Harvard College. Of these about
a dozen were affected, and of these, two were so good that attention was
confined to them.
“The extraordinary mixture, in the hypnotic trance, of preternatural
refinement of discrimination with the grossest insensibility, is one of
the most remarkable features of the condition. A blank sheet of paper,
with fine-cut edges, without watermarks or any thing which could lead to
the recognition of one side or edge from the other, is shown to the
subject with the statement that it is a photograph of a well-known face.
As soon as he distinctly sees the photograph upon its surface, he is
told that it will float off from the paper, make a voyage around the
walls of the room, and then return to the paper again. During this
imaginary performance, he sees it successfully on the various regions of
the wall; but if the paper is meanwhile secretly turned over, and handed
to him upside down, or with its under surface on top, he instantly
recognizes the change, and seeing the portrait in the altered position
of the paper, turns the latter about, ‘to get the portrait right.’”
In the hypnotic state the subject is under the control of the operator,
and in a great degree an automaton; in the somnambulic, he in part
regains his individuality, and in certain lines of thought and action is
superior to himself in his waking moments. Natural somnambulism comes
without warning, and illustrates the condition induced by mesmeric
passes.
SOMNAMBULISM.--Sleep waking, or sleep walking, whatever may be its
cause, mental derangement by disease or intense exertion of mind or
body, or a constitutional inclination thereto, is of deepest interest to
the psychologist as proving the independence of the spirit of the
physical senses. The somnambulist has lost the use of his senses. He
feels, hears and sees nothing by touch, ear or eye, and yet the objects
to which his attention is drawn are plainly perceptible.
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