imes more for
you by hypnotism than by the use of drugs. It is a safe rule to place
hypnotism in exactly the same category as drugs. Rightly used, drugs are
invaluable; wrongly used, they become the instruments of the murderer.
At all times should they be used with great caution. The same is true of
hypnotism.

Now let us cite some evidence. Lafontaine, a professional hypnotist,
gives some interesting facts. He says that public hypnotic
entertainments usually induce a great many of the audience to become
amateur hypnotists, and these experiments may cause suffocation. Fear
often results in congestion, or a rush of blood to the brain. "If the
digestion is not completed, more especially if the repast has been more
abundant than usual, congestion may be produced and death be
instantaneous. The most violent convulsions may result from too complete
magnetization of the brain. A convulsive movement may be so powerful
that the body will suddenly describe a circle, the head touching the
heels and seem to adhere to them. In this latter case there is torpor
without sleep. Sometimes it has been impossible to awake the subject."

A waiter at Nantes, who was magnetized by a commercial traveler,
remained for two days in a state of lethargy, and for three hours Dr.
Foure and numerous spectators were able to verify that "the extremities
were icy cold, the pulse no longer throbbed, the heart had no
pulsations, respiration had ceased, and there was not sufficient breath
to dim a glass held before the mouth. Moreover, the patient was stiff,
his eyes were dull and glassy." Nevertheless, Lafontaine was able to
recall this man to life.

Dr. Courmelles says: "Paralysis of one or more members, or of the
tongue, may follow the awakening. These are the effects of the
contractions of the internal muscles, due often to almost imperceptible
touches. The diaphragm--and therefore the respiration--may be stopped in
the same manner. Catalepsy and more especially lethargy, produce these
phenomena."

There are on record a number of cases of idiocy, madness, and epilepsy
caused by the unskillful provoking of hypnotic sleep. One case is
sufficiently interesting, for it is almost exactly similar to a case
that occurred at one of the American colleges. The subject was a young
professor at a boys' school. "One evening he was present at some public
experiments that were being performed in a tavern; he was in no way
upset at the sight, but the next day one