First, the period of the early mesmerists, extending from the time of Mesmer, 1773, until that of Braid, 1842—nearly seventy years—during which the theory of animal magnetism, or of some actual force or subtle influence proceeding from the operator to the subject, prevailed.
Second, the period of thirty-five years during which the influence of Braid’s experiments predominated, showing that other methods, and especially that by the fixed gaze, were efficient in producing the hypnotic sleep.
Third, the short period during which the influence of Charcot and the Paris school prevailed.
Fourth, the period since Bernheim began to publish his experiments, and which may be called the period of suggestion.
With this brief sketch in mind, we are prepared to examine some of the more important phenomena of hypnotism, both in its early and its later developments. A simple case would be as follows:—
A patient comes to the physician’s office complaining of continual headaches, general debility, nervousness, and unsatisfactory sleep. She is willing to be hypnotized, and is accompanied by a friend. The physician seats her comfortably in a chair, and, seating himself opposite her, he takes her thumbs lightly between his own thumbs and fingers, asks her to look steadily at some convenient object—perhaps a shirt-stud or a specified button upon his coat. Presently her eyelids quiver and then droop slowly over her eyes; he gently closes them with the tips of his fingers, holds them lightly for a moment, and she is asleep.
He then makes several slow passes over her face and down the front of her body from head to foot, also some over her head and away from it, all without contact and without speaking to her. He lets her sleep ten or fifteen minutes—longer, if convenient—and then, making two or three upward passes over her face, he says promptly: “All right; wake up.”
She slowly opens her eyes, probably smiles, and looks a little foolish at having slept. He inquires how she feels. She replies:
“I feel remarkably well—so rested—as though I had slept a whole night.”
“How is your head?”