Hypnotism Helpful Hints

In commenting on this, Dr. Hart notes that in reality hypnotism is self-produced, and the will of the operator, even when exercised directly against it, has no effect if the subject believes that the will is being operated in favor of it. Says he: "So long as the person operated on believed that my will was that she should sleep, sleep followed. The most energetic willing in my internal consciousness that there should be no sleep, failed to prevent it, where the usual physical methods of hypnotization, stillness, repose, a fixed gaze, or the verbal expression of an order to sleep, were employed."

The dangers of hypnotism have been recognized by the law of every civilized country except the United States, where alone public performances are permitted.