This surprising lack of harmful effects of scientific hypnosis has been observed and commented upon by such noted authorities as Liébeault, Wetterstrand, van Eeden, de Jong, Moll, Bramwell, Schilder and Kauders. A. Forel asserted that he has never come across a single instance of physical or mental harm caused by hypnosis. Bernheim recorded but on case (Revue Médicale de I'Est, for February, 1895), "in which death followed hypnosis induced by a medical man. The patient suffered from phlebitis, accompanied by severe pain; and to relieve this, Bernheim hypnotized him. He died two hours afterwards, and post-mortem examination showed that death was due to embolism of the pulmonary artery. . . Bernheim has hypnotized over 10,000 hospital patients; sometimes this would be done for relief of pain associated with inevitably fatal maladies, and, therefore, the matter for surprise is that death has not more frequently occurred during, or shortly after, the induction of hypnosis."
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