ther researches, and the
whole matter was left over, for the most part, to charlatans or to
persons hardly capable of forming sound judgments or proceeding
according to the accurate methods demanded by modern science. Science,
however, in the remarkable progress attained of late, has advanced so
far upon certain lines that it has been hardly possible to proceed
further in those directions without entering upon the forbidden field.
Therefore, the old signboards against trespassing have been taken
down. For "mesmerism," that verbal scarecrow, has been substituted
"hypnotism," which word has had a wonderfully legitimatizing effect;
while "animal magnetism," that once flouted idea, has been proven to
be an existent fact by methods as accurate as those adopted by Faraday
or Edison to verify their observations.

EFFORTS OF SCIENTISTS.

Many of the most eminent scientists of Europe are now devoting
themselves assiduously to these researches. Periodicals making a
specialty of the subject are now published in France, Germany, and
England. A catalogue of the recent literature of hypnotism and related
phenomena, compiled by Max Dessoir, was printed in the number of the
German magazine called the _Sphinx_ for February of this year, and
this catalogue occupied nine pages. The list is limited to those works
written on the lines laid under the methods of the modern school, all
books being excluded whose authors hold to "mesmeric" theories, or who
are even professional magnetizers. The catalogue is, therefore, as
strictly scientific as possible, and, being classified with German
thoroughness under the different branches of the subject, such as
"hystero-hypnotism," "suggestion," "fascination," etc., it will prove
a valuable assistance to the student.

In this country the interest of scientists has not yet been aroused to
an extent comparable with that of European investigators. Old
prejudices have not entirely lost their potency. One of the most
eminent professors of a leading university is said to have been
subjected to ridicule from his colleagues because of a marked interest
shown in the subject, and a Boston physician of high standing within a
few months confided to the writer that he had made use of hypnotic
methods, with gratifying success, in the case of a patient where
ordinary remedies had proven unavailing, but he did not venture to
make the results public, since his fellow doctors might be inclined to
condemn his action