little bird.' After a few minutes the bird again disappears anew,
but almost immediately reappears. The patient complains from time to
time of a pain in the head at a point corresponding to what has been
described in this book as the visual centre (some distance above and
slightly posterior to the ear)." The magnet also has the same effect
in suspending the real perception. One of the patients was shown a
Chinese gong and striker, and took fright on sight of the instrument.
When a blow was struck she instantly fell into catalepsy. She was
reawakened, and asked to look attentively at the gong; meanwhile,
without her knowledge, a small magnet was brought near her head. After
a minute the instrument had completely disappeared from her sight.
When it was struck with redoubled force, she only looked from side to
side with an air of slight astonishment.
* * * * *
The mysteries which puzzle these writers are made plain by
anthropology, and I have been presenting the explanation for over
forty years to my pupils. The sensibility to hypnotic phenomena is due
to the anterior portion of the middle lobe of the brain--to the
portion which is developed one inch behind the external angle of the
eye, by exciting which we bring on the somnolent condition. The
predominance of this region renders the person liable to the mesmeric
phenomena.
The hypnoscope proposed is quite unnecessary. The proper test of
magnetic susceptibility is either to excite the organ of somnolence
and observe if the eyes are disposed to close, or to pass your fingers
over the outstretched hand of the subject, within one or two inches,
and observe if he feels any impression. A distinct feeling of coolness
is sufficient proof of magnetic susceptibility.
Let those who wish to investigate the subject begin in accordance with
true science by testing the sensitiveness of the hand. If sensitive,
let the subject sit in a passive state, while you touch the somnolent
region on the temples, one inch horizontally behind the brow. In from
one to ten minutes the eyes will show a disposition to close, winking
repeatedly until a dreamy condition arises, with a tendency to a
conscious sleep. In this condition the susceptibility is extreme.
Experiments in psychometry may be tried with success; the organs of
the brain may be excited, and many interesting experiments may be made
by those who understand the brain, for intellectual purposes, or fo
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