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SLEEP-WALKING
HYPNOTISM.
      D. HACKJLLTKE, M.D., LL.D.,

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, LOND.; CO-EDITOR OF THE
        "JOURNAL OF MENTAL SCIENCE."

     PHILADELPHIA:
P. BLAKISTON, SON & CO.,
    1012 WALNUT STREET.
          1884.
lV 
WM 
              Jn  llltmariam

WILLIAM  SAMUEL  TUKE,  M.E.C.S.,

                 Oh. April 20.

             MDCCCLXXXIII.
   Tuosne ego,   0  mece  spes  inanes,  lahentes  oculos,
tnum fugicntem spiritum  vidi ?
   Quis  dilata studia mirctur,  quce potius  non abrupta
esse mi rand am  est ?—Quintiliax. 
 
The paper on " Sleep-Walking " was  read  at a meet-
ing of the Metropolitan Branch of the British Medical
Association, held  at  Bethlem Hospital, March 12th,
1884.   It  is  published  for  the  same  reason that
induced  me  to bring  it under the notice of  the
members of the Association—the desire to  obtain  by
an  extended circulation  more facts bearing upon a
subject  of so much interest, not  to medical men only,
but to others.
  The artificial induction of a  like condition of the
brain is so intimately connected  with the inquiry into
its  nature  and character,  that  I have added some
observations on the mental state of  persons who have
been  subjected to  the hypnotic  process, which were
read at a meeting  of  the Medico-Psychological Asso-
ciation,  also held at Bethlem Hospital.  The writer's
interest in artificial somnambulism as  a  psychological
study,-extends over  many years, and  he  published
an article in the Journal of Mental Science, in  1865,
under the title " Artificial Insanity, chiefly  in relation 
vi                    Preface.
 to Mental Pathology," in which he drew attention to
 the important  bearing of the  phenomena comprised
 under  '' Braidism"   upon  mental  affections.  The
 experiments  of  Mr.   Braid attracted,  it  must  be
 confessed, very limited interest  among  medical men
 in England,  the  conspicuous exceptions  being  Dr.
 Carpenter  and Professor  Laycock.1   It  was with
 great satisfaction,  therefore,  that the writer witnessed
 at the  Salpetriere, in 1878, the direct  application of
 the process of Braid, by M. Charcot, to patients under
 his care, and found him able  to confirm the experience
 of the Manchester  surgeon, and to amplify  it  in
 several particulars.  The writer has  referred to these
 experiments in a  pamphlet, which appeared  in the
 following year,  but he has thought it best to give in
 the  present little work a more detailed description
 of  the  results  obtained  at  the  Salpetriere.
   It is, however, the  primary object of this brochure
 to draw renewed attention to Sleep-Walking, and  for
 this purpose he  directs the special notice  of the reader
 to the list of questions at page 47.
   Some  repetition in the  several  sections has  been
 unavoidable, as they form  distinct essays.
                                     D.  H. Tuke.

  Lyndon Lodge,  Han well, AV.,
       April 20, 1884.

  1 It must not be  forgotten that prior to Mr.  Braid, Dr. Llliotson
drew attention to the same phenomena under another name. 
CONTENTS
                                                     TAGE
Sleep-Walking...............   1

Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking   .   .  51

The  Mental Condition  in  Hypnotism (Artificial Som-
    nambulism)  ...............61

Artificial Somnambulism  at the Salpetriere   .   .  .   .105

Conclusion.................120 
 
SLEEP-WALKING.
Although I have for long  felt a great interest in
sleep-walking,  I  have found  it difficult  to obtain
accurate details of as many  cases  as  I could wish.
I  should state that  six years  ago,   my  son  and
I  prepared  and  printed a  series of  questions  on
this subject, which we then widely circulated.  Some
of the particulars furnished us were of great interest,
although not so  numerous  as  we wished and  ex-
pected.   My  son's  melancholy  removal  from  the
medical  pursuits  to  which  he  was enthusiastically
devoted, had the effect  of  putting a  stop to this
inquiry;  but I am disposed  to make an  effort  to
renew it, in the hope of  utilizing the information
obtained, and procuring  more.
   This affection is  surely worthy of more  attention
and study than it has  received.  One might suppose,
from  the cursory manner in  which the subject is
discussed, if mentioned at all, in our medical works,
that it was  one of little or no moment—an inference
confirmed by its  absence from  the Nomenclature  of
Diseases  of   the  Eoyal College  of  Physicians—yet
how  much  anxiety it causes,  how much peril  it
involves,  and  how  often parents and  schoolmasters
seek counsel  as  to the best moral and  medical treat- 
9
Sleejt- Walking.
ment to  adopt!    One-third of  our  existence  is
passed  in  sleep, and it would be  strange  if  this
unconscious life, in which the will, but not neces-
sarily action,  is suspended,  were not one of  serious
importance both medically  and legally.
  An  additional reason  for  the  study  of  sleep-
walking is to be found in the light it throws  upon
the phenomena usually called  mesmeric, to which  it
may well form  an  introduction.    It is desirable to
study  facts  of  this  description which  are entirely
spontaneous,  and so to  speak natural,   before   pro-
ceeding  to  the investigation  of those   which are
artificially induced,  while these  in their  turn reflect
light, as  we  shall  see,  upon those  of spontaneous
origin.   It  is  obvious  that on the  vexed question
of animal magnetism, the bearing  of  natural  som-
nambulism  is  most important, as the condition and
acts of the sleep-walker  cannot be  attributed  to a
magnetic fluid passing from  an operator  to the
subject.
   There  have  not been wanting  those  who  have
thrown  doubts  upon the  genuineness  of most,  if
not  all,  cases  of  sleep-walking,  beyond  the   very
simplest  acts  on   the  part of  children  in  getting
occasionally  out of  bed, just as  Cullen  attributed
cases of catalepsy  and  trance to  imposture.   Even
Casper,1 after observing that it is  very uncommon
in  adults,  suggests critical  doubts  about cases  in
which  it  is alleged that persons  play music, write,
climb,  and swim during sleep.  He  remarks, as has
been  so often remarked  in regard  to all  popular
superstitions, that  the nearer we approach our own
times  the fewer   are  the  instances  of walking  in
          1 Forensic Medicine.  New Syd. Soc. 1861. 
Sleep- Walking.
O
sleep, which  fact, he says, points  to  credulity or
imposture  in former days as the true  explanation.
I  do  not  think  I  need  endeavour to  prove the
existence  or occurrence  of  spontaneous  somnam-
bulism, although  some may be  disposed to  question
the  probability of the particular instances to which
I shall allude.
  That spontaneous somnambulism may be simulated,
no  one  will  deny,  and  several  curious examples
might be   given;  it  is   unnecessary to  cite  them
here.
  Eeferring  to  the  questions  contained   in  the
Circular,1  I  may  briefly say  that their object is to
elicit information bearing on  the  causation  of  som-
nambulism,  its  relation to  other  nervous affections,
especially  epilepsy,  the state of the  sensory  and
motor  functions,  the  method  of  treatment found
most successful,  and  the  prevention  of accidents
incidental  to  sleep-walking.   In   presenting  the
results   obtained,  I  shall  briefly  refer also to the
essential   nature  of  sleep-walking,  and   to  the
criminal acts performed by sleep-walkers.
  The term itself—sleep-walking—and still  more its
synonym somnambulism, is frequently  employed in
a broad  as well as a narrow sense,  one  which its
etymology does not  justify.   Thus,  the condition of
profound  lethargic  sleep,  or trance, in  which no
movement   of the muscles  is  possible,  is  usually
comprised  under this head,  as it  is  by Professor
Ball.2  It  is too  late now  to  restrict  the employ-
ment of  the word to the act of sleep-walking.   We

  1 See page  47.
  2 In an  article in the Dirtionnaire Encyclopcdiqve des Sciairrs
JlfrJi rales, 1881.
                                            b2 
4                 Sleep- Walking.
 must,  as in many other instances, use  the term  in
 a  wide  and  narrow  sense.   It  belongs,   in  the
 nosology of Cullen,  to  the  oneirodynia?, in common
 with incubus or nightmare; but this division  does
 not  include trance and  catalepsy.   Common to all is
 the  loss  of healthy, conscious will,  so  that  abulias
 might well characterize this great class  of  affections,
 while  a twofold division would sufficiently indicate
 those  affections arising during,  and  those  arising
 independently of sleep.   Or it may be sufficient, with
 Prichard,  to  comprise,  under  the  broad heading  of
 " ecstatic affections," trance, catalepsy, sleep-walking,
 and  sleep-talking,  for in all the subject stands  out-
 side his  normal mental  condition, in  accordance with
 the  meaning of the  word "E/co-Tao-i?.   An automaton
 is  substituted for the true volitional self.  The will
 is  the slave of  a  dream or  a suggestion.
   In ordinary sleep-walking we see  certain  centres
 or tracts  of  the  encephalon in functional activity,
 while  others  are  asleep,   profoundly  asleep,  and
 temporarily paralysed;  or,  to adopt the language  of
 Heidenhain, the ganglion-cells of certain regions  of
 the  cerebral  cortex are inhibited.   This  profound-
 ness   of   the  sleep  in  well-marked  cases—this
 "nervous  sleep,"  as it has been  called—is  one  of
 the  remarkable  features  of somnambulism, easy  as
 it  is  to  understand how  the  circumstance  of  a
 particular muscle  or  sense  being  called  into play
 during sleep depends upon  the particular  motor  or
 sensory centre which may  chance to be awake, and
upon  the  downward track  which  is  most  readily
traversed by the transmitted current.
  We may say,  indeed (looking at this condition from
the  mental side),  that  the  intense concentration  of 
Sleep- Walking.                   -j
 the  attention  on  the  all-absorbing  dream  which  is
 being  acted,  prevents the  consciousness  of all sen-
 sorial   impressions,  except   those  immediately  in
 relation  to  it.  And,  physiologically,  we  may say
 that there  comes  into  operation  the  familiar law,
 that exaltation  or  excess  of  function  of  one part
 Liduces corresponding depression and loss  of function
 of  the  rest;  but  when we  have  said all  this, we
 must feel, in  the presence  of  a sleep-walker, that
 in the unconscious yet exquisitely co-ordinated acts
 he  performs,  in  the  vivid wakefulness   to  some
 impressions,  and  the  death-like indifference  to all
 others,  we  witness  a  marvellous  phenomenon,  one
 which  has  attracted  attention   since  the  days  of
 Hippocrates  and  Aristotle,   the  former  of  whom
 wrote—" I  have  known many  persons during  sleep
 moaning and  calling out   ....  and  others rising
 up,  fleeing  out  of  doors,  and deprived  of  their
 reason  until  they awake,  and  afterwards becoming
 well and rational as before, although they may be
 pale and  weak;"1 and the  latter said—"Some  are
 moved  while they  sleep,   and perform many things
 which  pertain to wakefulness,  though  not  without
 a  certain  phantasm and a  certain sense, for  a dream
 is after  a certain manner a  sensible perception."2
   No doubt  in almost all  instances  somnambulistic
   1 ev re too vttvoo olha ttovWovs ol/xco^ovTas /ecu fiowvTas, rovs
 8e /ecu irvLyofievovs, tovs Be teal  avatca-ovrdu re zeal <fievyovTa<;
 ega>  /ecu TrapcMppoveovras, fiexpis dv  e^eypewvTcu, eiretra Be
 /ecu vyiea<; eovrcv; /ecu (f>poveovTa<i coairep to irporepov, eovTas
re avroix; coypov?  re teal  daOeveas. (irepl   Ipr)<> Novo-ov.
 Lipsiae, 1827.   Edit. Dietz.)
  2 kwovvtcu B'evioi /cadevBovTes ical tvolovo-l rroWd eyprjyopiKa,
ov fievroc avev ^avrdafxaro^ /cat alo~6r}o~eid><; twos'  To yap
ivvirviov eo-Tiv aio-6r)/xa Tpbirov rivet (irept "Tttvov). 
6                  Sleep- Walking.

acts are what they are  commonly represented to be,
acted dreams, and  are examples of  involuntary  ideo-
motor  action.  In  some instances the  dreams  them-
selves  are  excited by  external  stimuli,  and  the
resultant   acts  are  therefore  reflex.   Or again,
certain acts may be  performed  during sleep which
do  not  excite  ideation at  all, and  may constitute
dreamless,  sensori-motor, or purely excito-motor  acts;
and it is only in these cases  that the  comparison
often  made of a sleep-walker to a frog deprived of
its  cerebral hemispheres applies.
  In whatever terms we choose to  describe  the sup-
posed condition of the brain and cord in somnambulism,
we  must recur to  the views enunciated long ago by
Unzer  and Prochaska   in  Germany,  and Professor
Laycock in England, in regard to  the reflex action
of the cerebral  as  well as spinal centres, conscious-
ness   being   present   or   absent,   and   altogether
non-essential  to the  acts  performed.   As we all
know,  the will may  be  powerless, and  these  cere-
bral reflexes be excited in  the most lively  manner,
by  appropriate  stimuli,  external or  internal.   The
increased reflex  susceptibility  observed in  the frog
whose  cerebral lobes have  been removed is analogous,
although  the simile does not go on  all-fours, as  I
shall take  occasion to point out.  The inhibition of
certain cerebral centres,  with  the consequent  sus-
pension  of their  functions,  along  with  normal or
increased  activity   of   ideas,  is   another   way  of
expressing what Dr. Henry  Monro  formulated many
years  ago to explain  mental aberration  in  general.
He   said   that  the  cerebral  masses, having  lost
their static equilibrium, exhibit in their  functional
activity  two   opposite   conditions,    positive   and 
Sleep- Walking.
i
negative,  viz.,  irritable excess  of  nervous action,
and  partial  paralysis—a  formula  which,  however
applicable  to  the  loss of  mental equilibrium  in
insanity,  is  still more  happily illustrated  by  the
phenomena  of  somnambulism.   What  may be the
vascular condition  accompanying  these states,   and
whether the primary disturbance is  vaso-motory  or
cortical, are  questions which arise in this connec-
tion.    There  is  no  reason  why  this disturbance
should  always  have  the  same  origin.  I take it
that it sometimes arises from  the  vaso-motor centre
of  the encephalon,  or  from   localized  vascular
disorder, and  that   at  other  times  it  originates in
the  cerebral  tissue  itself,  the  result  in  any case
being  an irregular distribution of blood.
   I  need  not  repeat  here what  I have said  on a
former occasion,1 as  to the application of Spencer's
doctrines by  Dr. Jackson to  epilepsy and mental
disorders, further than to  say  that  if the theory of
a discharge or liberation of energy—a "dissolution"
in  contradistinction  to  evolution — holds  good of
strictly  pathological  events,  it  applies also to the
temporary,  and what  we call  physiological,  changes
involved  in dreaming  and  in  sleep-walking.    A
physiological  liberation of energy  of one portion or
centre of the brain,  and  the  persisting  stability of
another part, which, freed  from control,  may  come
into active  play, correspond  to the  positive   and
negative states of Dr. Monro.   In induced  somnam-
bulism, the process  of Braid owes  its success to the
exhaustion  of  a  part  of  the cerebral cortex, while
others unexhausted respond all the more acutely to
stimulation.
        1 See Journal of Mental Science, October, 1881. 
8                  Sleep-Walking.
  We cannot regard  the  simplest forms of somnam-
bulism as other than physiological, at any rate, as not
more  pathological than dreaming, which is universally
regarded as the consequence of  the  physiological con-
dition of co-incident  activity and  repose of different
portions of the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres.  It
is not extraordinary that  dreaming  should sometimes
be  sufficiently  vivid to  excite movements.   Still,
somnambulism is, not without reason,  classed under
the neuroses, and in its severest forms  it  approaches
perilously near nocturnal epilepsy; as, on  the  other
hand, the condition of mental automatism which may
succeed  epileptic fits closely resembles that of  the
sleep-walker.  The saying of Trousseau,1 that  every
nocturnal accident ought  to make us think of epilepsy,
has only too much truth in it, though I am far from
saying that the fact of a  child walking in his sleep
indicates  a tendency to serious nervous  trouble or
epilepsy.   One   of the  questions in the  circular is
intended to elicit information in regard  to  the occur-
rence of nervous disorders in the family  of  the  sleep-
walker.   Unfortunately,  this is a matter on  which it
is very difficult  to  obtain reliable  facts.   People are
very  chary of   communicating them,  even  in  the
strictest  confidence.   The  replies,  consequently, are
too few  to  constitute proofs  of the relationship in
question.  Still,  so far as they  go, they illustrate  this
connection, and with them I shall  combine the ques-
tion as to heredity.   Thus, one medical correspondent
writes that one of  his brothers was slightly addicted
to  sleep-walking, and was for several  years,  up to
nine  or ten years of age,  subject to  violent  night-
  1 Quoted  by  Dr. Echeverria in Journal of Mental  Science,
January, 1879. 
Sleep- Walking.                  9
screaming.  One sister walked a  little in her  sleep,
and  had  three  attacks  of  chorea.   Another  sister,
when very young, was given to hysterical screaming.
The  father was  troubled  with  megrim.   Another
correspondent states that his sister  and grandmother
were subject to  sleep-walking, as  well as himself.  A
third that her great grandfather was a sleep-walker.
Again,  a  barrister,  who  has taken  great  pains  in
filling up the circular, states  that one of his sisters
and  a brother walked  in their sleep,  and that his
mother used to sleep with her eyes open and  fixed.
In these replies  there is reference made to chorea,
hysteria, and megrim, but not to epilepsy.
  I  have  not found, I may  add, in the  cases  of
epilepsy admitted into the  National Hospital for the
Paralysed  and  Epileptic,  so frequent  a history  of
sleep-walking as I had  expected.    Its occurrence in
patients while in this hospital is by no means fre-
quent, but, of course, most of the patients have passed
the age when somnambulism is commonly observed.
Again, at  Bethlem Hospital  I have not  often  been
able to  obtain a  history of sleep-walking.   A fort-
night ago a female patient was admitted, her insanity
being mainly hysterical in  character, in whom it was
found that both  she and her sister had walked, when
girls, in their sleep.    There are  certain forms  of
insanity  which,  no  doubt, are closely allied to spon-
taneous somnambulism on the one hand, and hysteri-
cal mania on the other; as, for example, in the boy
whose  case was  reported, in  the  Journal of Mental
Science,  by Dr. Coupland, in 1880 ; and, again, there
are cases of mental  stupor which  are essentially som-
nambulistic and  cataleptic  in their character.  They
do not so  much  resemble  ordinary sleep-walking  as 
10                Sleep- Walking.
the somnambulism which arises spontaneously in the
day.  The difference in some instances is simply this :
that Avhat is a physiological condition in the one has
passed on to  a pathological condition in the other,
with  no longer merely localized vaso-motor spasm,
but the prolonged  blood stasis  and oedema following
upon its persistence.
   Among idiots  and imbeciles,  sleep-walking would
not seem to  be by any means common.   As many are
epileptics this  may seem  surprising,  but I  suppose
that their dreams are not quite so vivid and purposive
as in normally constituted  brains, though, as we shall
see, they  are. by  no means free  from dreams.   Cer-
tainly their  inability to direct  their attention intelli-
gently and persistently to one point, renders it almost
impossible to hypnotize them.  The condition of  their
muscular system also may prevent noctambulation in
those who have dreams.
   Dr. Ireland, in reply to  my  inquiries, has sent me
only one case, and  that  was in  a  most intelligent
imbecile,  who was subject to severe epileptic fits.
He had dyschromatopsia, being quite unable to dis-
tinguish  colours.   He  could speak freely on ordinary
subjects.   One evening he walked upstairs in a state
of somnambulism, and  went to the right bed.  One
day, in the school, he suddenly  ceased  attending to
what  was going  on, then left his seat, and walked
about, regardless  of  the remarks of the  other  boys,
and  what was said  to him.   When he woke he was
quite oblivious of what he had done.   He also walked
in his sleep in the night, but woke so  quickly that
Dr. Ireland was unable to see him in time.
   Dr. Fletcher Beach has, at my request, directed his
 attention to the frequency of somnambulistic acts among 
Sleep-Walking.                 11
those under his charge at the Darenth Asylum  for
Idiots and Imbeciles, and says that the attendants do not
know of  a single case.  One boy, who is more intelli-
gent than the others, told Dr. Beach that another boy
got out of bed one night and offered to fight him, and
that the boy's eyes were open.  He put this boy back
to bed, and asked him next morning what he  wanted
to fight  him for, and the lad replied  that  he  had
nightmare.   As to dreams,  one boy has told  his
attendant  of  comical  things  he  has  dreamt  about.
That some do dream is clear from the  fact that they
wake  up  with  a  start,  and  are  often frightened.
Talking  while asleep  seems,  Dr. Beach says, fairly
common.   The  night  superintendent  often, while
visiting a ward, fancies  she hears a boy calling her, and
on going to his bed,  finds the boy talking in his sleep.
   Dr. Echeverria makes a statement which I cannot
but think  is somewhat too strong, and, indeed, if it
were true,  I should despair of obtaining any answers
to my circular.   He says that " somnambulism gene-
rally forebodes, when it  does not  betray, insanity."
He  adds  what  I  do not doubt to be the  case—
"Dreams,  assuming  the shape of incubus  or night-
mare,  are  very  frequent  in the  earliest  stages  of
insanity,  and they  constantly agitate  the sleep  of
epileptics "{Journal of Mental Science, Jan., 1879, p. 574).
   It is very important,  in some instances, to diagnose
between  insanity and  somnambulism.   A few years
ago  I knew  a case  in  which a gentleman, not long
after his marriage,  found, in the early morning,  that
his wife had disappeared from his side.   In the search
which was immediately instituted, her  body,  in  her
nightdress, was  discovered in the sea, not very far from
the house.   The question arose, had she left her bed 
12                 Sleep- Walking.
in her sleep and fallen  into  the water  in a state; of
somnambulism, or had she deliberately and awake com-
mitted suicide  in  a  fit of temporary insanity?   The
theory of somnambulism was at first confidently held
on what seemed plausible grounds; but eventually  the
balance of evidence  was against  this  conclusion, and
the friends had reluctantly to believe that the act was
one of felo de se.
  Other still more serious cases arise, in  which alleged
homicidal and  criminal assaults have been committed,1
and the question of responsibility has depended for its
determination on the possibility or probability of cer-
tain acts being performed in a state of unconsciousness,
or at  least suspension of volition.
  The following, related by a lady of my acquaintance,
may seem a  trivial incident, but it illustrates forcibly
enough what  danger may  arise to others  from  the
actions of sleep-walkers.  When a girl,  aged about
twelve, she  walked  in her sleep,  the only occasion, as
she believes, in her life.   She was at the time at school,
and  had  had  a quarrel with a  schoolfellow on  the
previous day.   She  arose from her  bed in her sleep,
whether or not after a  dream  is not known, and pro-
ceeded to the bed of the other girl, and then violently
pulled her hair.   The assaulted girl  called out lustily,
when assistance arrived, and the unconscious assaulter
was discovered to be in a state of somnambulism.2  On
  1 Lord Culpepper's brother, famous as a sleep-walker, and whose
portrait, by Sir  Peter Lely, is given in Lodge's Historical Portraits,
was indicted at the Old Bailey, in 1686, for shooting one of the
guards and his horse.  The defence set up was somnambulism, and
he was acquitted, after his counsel had called in  his favour nearly
fifty witnesses  to  bear testimony  to  the marvellous exploits he
performed during  sleep.  See  Macnish's Philosophy of Sleep.
  2 This case recalls the oft-repeated story of  the  monk,  who 
Sleep-Walking.                   13
awaking  she knew  nothing  whatever  of what  had
occurred.
   The case of Fraser, who killed his child on the night
of April  9th, 1878,  is  so full of  psychological  and
legal interest, that I cannot avoid referring to it here.
He was  a steady, respectable man, a saw-grinder in
Glasgow,  and twenty-eight years old.  He had been a
dull child.   Long after he was a boy he was troubled
with  incontinence  of urine   at  night.   His mother
had epileptic fits,  and died in  one.   So did her father.
She had  a  sister, and  this  sister  a  son, who were
insane.   Fraser had a brother who died  in  infantile
convulsions.  Lastly, the child (eighteen months  old)
whom he killed, had had convulsions six months before.

entered the prior's  bed-room during the night, with his eyes open,
but fixed, and with  a large knife in his hand.   With  scowling
features and  determined mien, he proceeded  straight  to  his
superior's bed, to which the prior fortunately had not yet retired,
and inflicted three stabs, which penetrated the bed-clothes and a
mat which  served  the purpose of a  mattress.  He then  returned
to his own room, with features relaxed and smiling.  The next day,
when questioned by the prior, he confessed that he had dreamt that
his mother  had been murdered by the  prior, and that her spirit
had appeared to him crying for vengeance.  Transported with fury
at the sight,  he seized a  knife, and ran directly to the supposed
assassin, in  order to  stab him.   Shortly  after he returned to his
bed he awoke,  covered with perspiration, rejoiced to find that it
was only a dream.   This narrative rests on the authority of Fodere,
who heard it from  the prior himself, Dom Duhaget, who was sitting
in his room when the monk entered and proceeded to his bed,  dans
un Stat de somnamhidisme.  When the prior showed the monk the
wounds he had inflicted on the bed, the latter threw himself on his
knees in tears, and implored his pardon.   The precaution was taken,
after this occurrence, to secure the door of  the monk's cell every
night.   It is curious that those who relate this story almost always
forget to tell the reader whether the prior was in bed when th e
assault was made. 
11                Sleep-Walking.
  Fraser's sleep had always been of an unsettled kind,
disturbed by dreams, nightmare, and talking or walk-
ing in his sleep.   Anything that either  excited  or
depressed him much in the day would affect his dreams
and tendency to  walk.  When a  boy of ten or so,
when he was accustomed to fetch milk from  a farm
near,  he once got up in the night asleep, dressed, got
the pitcher, and proceeded to the farm as was his wont.
Once  he  went during the night to a timber-yard, and
occupied himself in moving logs, till awakened  by the
rain.   Again, when about one-and-twenty, his father's
family living near  the water,  he often  warned his
half-sister, of whom he was very fond, against  falling
in.    At  night he frequently  went to the landing-
place,  in his  sleep, and into the water, loudly  calling
her, and even grasping with his  arms, as if rescuing
her from  drowning.   The girl would be roused from
her  sleep  by hearing her  name thus  called.   It
sometimes happened that the water awaked him, but
not  always,   for  he  has  gone   back to  bed fast
asleep.
  He used  to remember nothing in the morning of
what  had occurred;  but if awakened  at the time,  he
recalled his  dream, and retained a recollection  of it
next day.
  Dr. Yellowlees,  who reported the case which I am
condensing,  describes the nocturnal seizures to which
he  was subject at the time of the fatal occurrence as
follows:—" Having fallen asleep as usual, great terror
suddenly seizes him, and he  starts out of  bed under a
vivid feeling that Some dreadful evil is impending, that
the house is  on fire, that its walls are  about to crush
him,  that  his child is failing down a pit or,  most
frequently of all,  that a wild beast has got into the 
Sleep-Walking.                 lo
room, and is about to attack him.   Eoaring inarticu-
lately, and in an agony of  apprehension, he tears his
wife and child out of bed to save  them  from death;
or he fiercely chases the wild beast through the room,
throwing  the furniture about in order to reach it, and
striking at it with whatever he can use as a weapon; or
he suddenly seizes his companion by the throat, under
the idea that he is  struggling with the beast.  The
beast is a wild  dog, horse,  wolf, or other animal, and
often some creature  of the imagination more terrible
by far " {Journal of Mental Science, 1878, p. 454).
   In this case the eyes were wide open and staring.
He  avoided  the  furniture in  his chase,  took up
chairs to  throw at  the beast, and  in  his  fury has
injured himself.  As in other cases, no doubt his sight
was directed only  to the objects in  immediate relation
to the dominant ideas of the dream he was acting.
   It was  not  his child only that he had  attacked.
Father, wife, half-sister, fellow-lodgers, and a fellow-
prisoner in the gaol were  at  one  time or other des-
perately assaulted by  him, always  impelled  by the
delusion that he was engaged in mortal combat with
a beast.   WTien he fatally attacked his child, he "saw
a large white beast fly up through the floor and pass
towards the back of the bed where  the child lay ; he
grasped at the beast, trying to catch it;  succeeded in
seizing it, and springing out of bed, he dashed it on
the  wall or floor to destroy it."  The cries of his wife
brought Fraser to himself, and he then manifested the
greatest distress at what he had done.
   Dr. Eobertson, of Glasgow, and Dr. Yellowlees, gave
evidence  for the Crown, but regarded the man as irre-
sponsible for an act committed in  a state  of somnam-
bulism, or, as  they  held,  insanity.   Dr. Clouston, of 
lfi                Sleep-Walking.
Edinburgh, was called for the defence, and took the
same line as regards irresponsibility, differing, however,
from them in the view they took that  " Fraser's state
at the time was one  of  ' insanity.' "  This was more
than a mere difference of words, for if technically insane
Fraser ought properly to have gone to a criminal asylum.
Dr. Yellowlees boldly invented  the  term somnomania,
and held that the sole difference between it and delusion,
or insanity, or epileptic violence, was that it occurred
during sleep, and  involved only a temporary arrest of
volition, instead of the more prolonged loss of  control
which results  from organic mischief.  Dr. Echeverria
conversed with me on the case  at the time, and ex-
pressed  himself strongly  in  favour  of the  view that
Fraser's attacks were those of  nocturnal  epilepsy.1
The finding of the jury (suggested by the judge) was
in accordance with the view that he was not insane, but
was irresponsible  from  being in a  state of somnam-
bulism,  and the man was discharged.  He engaged to
sleep  in future in  a room by himself.  But if  he was
not insane he was  as dangerous as a madman, and one
thinks more stringent means ought to have been taken
to guard against his doing any one injury.
  Dr. Yellowlees was in favour of his being treated for
a time  in an  asylum, and liberated  eventually  on
condition  that he should be placed under special sur-
veillance.   I need hardly say I should not wish to see
a man punished for a homicidal act  committed during
sleep.  Yet what  did the celebrated Fodere* say as to
the criminal  responsibility  of  somnambulists?  He
pronounced them to be culpable.   " It seems to me,"
he writes, "that  a man who has  committed  a bad
  1 See also his able article on " Nocturnal  Epilepsy," Journal of
Mental Science, January, 1879. 
                   Sleeji- Walking.                 17

action during sleep is not wholly  inexcusable, since,
in accordance  with  most  observations, he is only
executing the  plans which  occupied  his mind when
awake.   He, in  short, Avhose conduct is  always in
relation to his social duties, does not belie his character
when he is alone with his soul.  He, on the contrary,
who  only  thinks  of  crimes, deceit,  and vengeance,
displays during  sleep  the recesses of his depraved
inclination, which external circumstances had restrained
when awake.  If such a  man, then, commits a crime,
and he is a suspicious character, one is justified, it seems
to me,  in considering this crime as  a natural con-
sequence of  the  immoral character of his ideas; and
one should judge this action as all the more free, in that
it has been committed without any constraint or par-
ticular  influence.  Far from considering these acts as
insane,  I regard  them as the most voluntary that can
be witnessed in human nature."  Professor Ball, while
not agreeing with this startling contention  of Fodere^
observes that "it is assuredly the testimony of  a pure
soul which  evil  passions have never troubled."   He
thinks  the true  excuse of the somnambulist is to be
found in the circumstance that  in dreams  the moral
sense is always asleep; an opinion, however, which  I
am not prepared to admit.   It is sufficient to maintain,
in defence of the sleep-walker who commits a crime,
that he is unable to control  his actions, is an involun-
tary actor, and therefore not the free agent which M.
Fodere" would have him to be.
   The  case  of Fraser was said to be unique at the
time, but several very similar ones have occurred, and
the wonder is that they are not more frequentJ
  1 See  the  case of Esther Griggs,'reported  in the Manual  of
 Psychological Med trim; 4th edit., p. 266.
                                              C
A . 
18                Sleep- Walking.
   In the Moniteur of July 2nd, 18G8, a report will be
found of a pupil in a seminary at Saint Pons, who, in
the night, rose from bed, and, armed with a knife,
proceeded to the bed of the teacher in charge of the
dormitory, whom he  attempted to injure with several
thrusts  of the knife.  These, however, only penetrated
the sheets and the mattress.  Aroused by the sound,
and the sense of some one touching his shoulder,  the
teacher awoke and  sprang up.  He  seized the arm of
the pupil, and  called for aid.   The  scholar, whose
fixed expression at  once convinced the assailed sleeper
that his assailant was in a state of somnambulism,
was removed  to another room without being aroused,
and there he slept till the morning.  When informed
by the teacher of what had occurred, he was unable
to recall the circumstance.   He expressed his  sorrow,
and  was  anxious  to  go  home.   M.   Despine,   of
Marseilles, to whom I am indebted for this case, cites
another from an American journal of 1870 :  A youth,
during sleep, fell into somnambulism, and in this con-
dition went into the bedroom of  a child, and killed it.
He was sent to prison, and when there  had a similar
somnambulistic seizure, in which  he made an attempt
on the life of another prisoner.
   I may here state, in parenthesis,  that cases are  on
record of  persons  even  attempting suicide  during
sleep-walking, so that the perils of sleep-walkers to them-
selves and to  others are neither few nor unimportant.
In a remarkable case of sleep-walking (Madame X.)
published  in 1860  by  M.  Mesnet,1  a  determined   1
attempt at suicide  was made in his presence.   She
took the  string of  her apron,  carefully tested  its
strength, made a loop - at one end,  mounted a chair,   <
        1 Archives General es de Mi'decine Fev., 1860. 
Sleep-Walking.                 19
and securely fastened the other  end to the top of the
window.  Having made these preparations, she  was
quiet for a time  as if lost in  thought,  knelt down,
made the sign of the cross, and  engaged in devotion
some minutes.   She then rose,  went to the window,
mounted a  stool, placed her neck in the noose, and
suspended  herself.   M.  Mesnet  allowed  her to  hang
as long as it was safe to do so, and then cut the cord.
The patient, when rescued, indicated by her expres-
sion  the vexation  she  experienced  at  having her
intention frustrated.   She  had  made   a  previous
attempt, in  her sleep, by  throwing  herself violently
on the floor, after failing to  precipitate herself  from
the window.  She also attempted one night to poison
herself.  She filled  a  glass with water, threw several
coins into it, and secreted it, after writing her adieus
to her family.   Next  night, when in a similar state,
she took the glass, but, prostrating herself before the
crucifix, changed her mind, and wrote another letter
to  her  family explaining  her change  of purpose.
This patient,  when  awake, was  dejected, not without
domestic reasons, but never  attempted or threatened
suicide except  in sleep.
   The   view Dr. Yellowlees took in Fraser's   case
accords with the opinion of  the late Dr. Eay on the
relation of somnambulism to insanity.  He observes—
" Psychologically considered, somnambulism appears
to  be not  very remote  from  mania, the  difference
consisting  in some  circumstances connected with the
causes that  give rise to derangement of the faculties.
In the latter the pathological affection of the brain is
continuous.   In the former it  appears  only  during
sleep,  by  which   its  effects  are  greatly modified.
When the maniac finds himself restored to health, he
                                           c  2 
20                Sleep- Walking.
looks on the period of his derangement as on a dream
crowded with grotesque images, heterogeneous  asso-
ciations, and ever-changing scenes.   So the somnam-
bulist, on awaking, is conscious  only of having been
in a dream, the events of  which have left a more or
less vivid impression on his memory."   [The Medical
Jurisprudence of Insanity,  2nd edit., p. 394).
   On  the  whole,  although  the  evidence  at  my
command is not  conclusive,  we   may regard  the
relationship between- decidedly well-pronounced  som-
nambulism  and  other  nervous  affections  as  fairly
intimate,  and hold that a neurotic constitution is a
predisposing cause of sleep-walking.
   Other predisposing causes or conditions are age and
sex.   We can have no hesitation in regarding  child-
hood and puberty as the periods  at which the system
is most liable  to  attacks  of  sleep-walking.   The
youngest  of  whom I  have a  note was six years old,
the eldest sixty-one.1  It is exceptional for the  habit
to continue  after twenty.   Macario records a case of
sleep-walking in an old woman of eighty-one.
   As to sex, several authors, including Macario, state
that males  are  more  subject  to this  affection  than
females.  My own experience, so  far,  has  been the
reverse.   I  may  observe  that Dr.  Echeverria  finds
that  nocturnal  epilepsy   is  more  common  among
females than males.
   Among exciting causes  (whether  moral or physical)
I  find that in one case  night-terrors and  screaming
followed upon ringworm and an abscess  in the ear.
   A medical friend writes  that  in his  own case the
attack  of sleep-walking  very often occurred  after
  1 This was the case of a lady who was bed-ridden at the time. She
got up and walked in her sleep, to the great surprise of her friends. 
Sleep-Walking.                 21
absorbing work up to the last thing before going to
bed, also after exciting days of sight-seeing.  At one
time coffee at supper was followed by nightmare, to
which he was very subject.
   A  lady,  in  filling  up the circular,  observes that
suppers did not appear to affect  her in  any degree,
whilst anxiety or too close application to lessons had a
decided tendency to produce  it.
   A gentleman, who also refers to suppers, says they
had no effect whatever in inducing sleep-walking.
   The condition of the health might well be supposed
to have something to do with the habit.   Thus, a lady
sleep-walker states that it occurs when she is not very
well;  but  others state distinctly  that, so  far as they
are aware,  their state  of health has no obvious con-
nection with it; while a gentleman says—" When the
body is in a  low  state,  I  find I am less subject to
walking in my sleep."   This case was  complicated
with chorea, and attacks of spontaneous somnambulism
occurred in the day as well as the  night.
   The influence exerted  by the  particular  thought
uppermost  in  the  mind the previous  day in deter-
mining the acts performed, in consequence of inducing
a  vivid dream,  is  no  doubt  great.  Thus,  a girl  at
school, overworking herself at Euclid, got up in the
night  and  looked  for her books.   Again,  a lad  of
eight, very fond of his rocking-horse, got up in his
sleep, went  into the nursery, and mounted  it.   The
motion of  the ride awoke  him,   and he was much
astonished  to  find himself thus  engaged.
   A gentleman informs  me that one  evening  his
sister,  on  going to  bed,  took  with  her, in  good
humour, a  magazine which she knew he was wishing
to read.  She  read it in  her chamber for some time 
<■><>
Sleep- Walking.
before she went to sleep.   In the course of  the night
she got up in her sleep, and conveyed the journal into
her brother's  room  and laid it  on his bed.  In the
morning she had no  remembrance whatever of having
done so.   Perhaps a sense of sisterly duty  prompted
her, even in  her sleep, to  perform this act, unless  it
be  true  that conscience is  asleep in dreams.1
  With  these brief  references to the causes of sleep-
walking, I pass to the condition  of the  somnambulist
in regard to the senses and common sensation.
  More  accurate observations   and  experiments on
natural  sleep-walkers, in order  to test carefully the
condition of the senses, especially vision and hearing,
are required.
   Vision.—In  replies to  a question in the circular
respecting  the openness of the  eyes, along with the
avoidance of  objects in the way of the walker, I  find
only one instance in which the eyes were observed to be
shut.   One  gentleman writes—" My eyes have been
noticed open, with a vacant, stony gaze, and the pupils
appeared dilated."   Another correspondent writes—
"My eyes  were  open; I always avoided  obstacles,
and was  never  awaked by striking against anything."
A third—" Eyes are said to  be open  and vacant."
  It  is  constantly observed  that the objects seen by
the sleep-walker are interpreted in  accordance with
the dream he is acting.  Thus a  friend of mine writes
—"While certainly some of  the objects  appear  as
they  really  are, others are adapted to the  dream;
for  example, the bed-posts appear to  be trees."
  There are cases in which the power of  seeing  in
the dark is very striking—a  nyctalopia comparable  to
that of the owl, &c.  There  can, indeed, be no doubt
      1 Sec example to the contrary (Madame X.), pa#e 19. 
Sleep-Walking.                 23
that the visual sense is often very acute, and that this,
along with a dilated pupil, permits the sleep-walker to
see objects  with an amount of light  which is prac-
tically darkness under normal conditions.  In avoiding
furniture  he is  greatly assisted by acuteness of touch
when it  is  in  immediate  relation to  the idea upon
which all his nervous energy  is concentrated.
   Dr. Guy, in  his  book, The Factors  of the Unsound
Mind, goes so far as to speak of things  being  clearly
seen by the sleep-walker,  not  only when very faintly
illuminated, but "when cards  or sheets of  paper are
interposed between the eye  and the object to which
it is directed" (p.  78).  I am  unable  to confirm Dr.
Guy's statement.  What happens is apparently due to
the muscular and tactile  senses, and in some instances
perhaps to the subject retaining in his mind a vivid
representation,  a mental  image of the writing which
he had previously  made.  It  is true  that a somnam-
bulist may write well although a sheet of paste-board
is interposed between his eyes and the writing-paper.
If  he has  not crossed  a  t, or  dotted  an i,  and is
requested to supply the omission, he may do so  with
great precision.   But if the  paper be  shifted, his cor-
rections are no longer in their right places  on the
paper, but wrong to the extent  to which the paper has
been moved.
   Madame X. (p. 18) wrote  letters most accurately in
a room so dark that her physician could not distinguish
the objects in it.  That she  depended, however,  upon
her sight  was shown by the fact that when an  opaque
body was placed between her  eyes and the  paper, she
stopped writing and was much  disturbed.
   The influence of tactile sensibility in guiding the
hand in  writing and in  exciting ideas—an excellent 
24                Sleep- Walking.
example of reflex action  of the  cerebral hemispheres
—was demonstrated  in  an experiment tried by  M.
Mesnet  on  a French sergeant  when in a  state of
somnambulism.1   He came in contact with  a table,
over which he passed his hands, but finding  nothing,
he opened a drawer, and took out a pen, touching which
at once awoke in him the idea of writing.  He rum-
maged the drawer for paper and an inkstand, which
he placed on the table.  He got a chair, and  began a
letter to his general,  commending his own  bravery,
and  asking for  a medal.  This letter was very incor-
rectly written, but not more  so  than  in his  ordinary
state.   To test  whether  the  facility  with which he
wrote was in any degree due to sight,  a thick metallic
plate was placed so as to completely intercept vision.
He  did  not at once  cease writing the  line he had
begun,  but  wrote a  few  more words in an  almost
illegible manner, with the strokes  jumbled together;
then he stopped, without betraying any  impatience.
When the plate was removed, he  completed the un-
finished line, and commenced another.   Again while he
was  engaged in writing, water was substituted for ink.
He  continued to write so long as the pen made any
marks,  but when there was nothing but water, he  im-
mediately perceived it, stopped, wiped the pen, rubbed
it on his coat, and began again, with, of course,  the
same result.  He still more carefully examined the pen,
and  made another  unsuccessful attempt, but  it never

  1 Condensed from M. Mesnet's report of the case of a soldier
whose head was injured by a ball at Sedan, and who, when under
Dr.  Mesnet's  treatment in the hospital of Saint-Antoine, Paris,
was  subject to attacks of spontaneous somnambulism.  See  De
VAntomatisme  de  la  Memoire  et du S<mvenir dans  le Som-
namhidisme pathologique,  1874. 
Sleep- Walking.                 25
occurred to  him  to  examine the ink-pot.   In  this
instance  sight was evidently employed, but  it was as
certainly not used except in regard to the particular
subject upon which his attention  was absorbed, and
with which he was brought into relation by the sense
of touch.   So that M. Mesnet holds that, with  this
qualification, the  patient  did not see, although not
wholly insensible to the reflection of  brilliant objects.
Before passing  from  this  experiment, it should be
stated that the sergeant had taken ten sheets of paper,
and was writing on the first when M. Mesnet quickly
removed  it; he  went  on writing the same paragraph
on the  second  sheet,  and when he  had written ten
words  this sheet was  also abstracted, and he finished
on the third sheet the line commenced  on the preceding
one,  exactly at the point  where  his pen remained
placed.  M. Mesnet successively removed the third and
fourth  sheets, and  on the fifth the sergeant signed his
name  at  the bottom  of the  page.    He  was  then
observed to look at the top of this blank sheet, re-read
(mentally)  all that he  had written, moving his lips at
each word, placing at different points on the unwritten
page, here  a comma, there  an e, here a t, following
carefully the spelling of  each word, which he applied
himself to  correct  as best he could; and each of these
corrections  answered not  only  to  the  word  requiring
correction,  but to  the corresponding spot on  the  sheet
where  it occurred,  and which M. Mesnet held in his
hand;   the  explanation  apparently  being,  as  this
physician  supposes, that  the image  of  the writing
remained,  or, as Mr.  Galton would  say, the writing
was visualized.   As he re-read the words in memory,
they were projected, as hallucinations, upon the blank
sheet before him. 
26                Sleep-Walking.
   As to the auditory sense, a gentleman writes—" My
hearing is good ;" another—" I can hear what is said,
and reply to questions;"  a third—" I could hear, but
couldn't see." Only one informant writes—"I did not
hear  when  spoken to."   In Mesnet's sergeant,  the
loudest sounds were totally unperceived.
   In  reference to  the  olfactory  sense, several corre-
spondents write negatively in regard to smell; one,
however, says—" So far from this sense being abrogated,
I have often dreamed of smells in my attacks.  One of
my commonest actions when asleep is  to dream of  an
escape of gas, and then rise and look all over the
bed   and  room  for the  gas-pipe,  the smell  being
most  clearly perceived,  but  the  house in which I live
having no gas laid on."   Mesnet's patient had no sense
of smell whatever.

   Gustatory.—None of the answers to  my questions
make mention of the sense of taste.1  M. Mesnet's
soldier  did  not  distinguish any difference between
wine, vinegar, and  assafcetida.

   With  respect  to  tactile sensibility, some  sleep-
walkers awake  on being touched; and  one  corre-
spondent observed—" I often dream that I am touched,
and this always  awakes me."   On the other hand,
many sleep-walkers may be  not only touched,  but
may be carried  back to  bed without being aroused
from  their sleep.
   M.  Mesnet found in the case of the French sergeant
that  although sensibility to  pain was abolished,  the
sense  of touch was acute ; in fact, it was as he observes
"the  only sense  which remained (in  addition to the
              1 See  the case of E. II., p.  ."X 
Sleep-Walking.                 27
muscular sense) to place the patient  in relation with
the external  world.   The delicacy  with which he
passed his hands over objects, the use which we have
known him make of  touch on innumerable occasions
when we  have  been present,  bear  witness to  the
fineness and  subtilty  of this sense  above its ordinary
exercise in normal conditions of health."  {Op. cit.)

   Insensibility  to  Pain.—Experiments made on  the
sensibility  of sleep-walkers leave no doubt that they
are insensitive to pain when absorbed in acting  the
dream which possesses them; but it  so happens that
none  of my  own cases illustrate this.

   Muscular  Sense.—It is obvious that  the muscu-
lar sense  must be acutely alive.  No proof of this
is required beyond  the ordinary acts performed by
sleep-walkers,  without  mentioning   the wonderful
feats  attributed to them  in the records  of  somnam-
bulism.

   Motility.—One  of the best examples of the power
of  executing intelligent  and  somewhat complicated
movements  occurred in a medical man well known
to  me,  who, when   a little  boy,  would get out of
bed,  go to  a cupboard  and  select one  of his toys,
and present  it deliberately to one of the family.
   A  young  gentleman  in my  own  circle will take
elaborate  pains to undo the fastenings of a window,
and  would  precipitate  himself  if   not  prevented
either bv  awaking in consequence of the effort, or
the  cold air, or by  being forcibly drawn back.   A
common act of his is to go downstairs, open the front
door  and  look out into  the garden, then return,  and 
28
Sleep- Walking.
after locking the door, get into  bed.   " As far as I
can make out," he says,  " all my movements in sleep
are as active as when I am awake."
  A gentleman informs me  that his son, who used
to walk in his sleep, appeared to have but one object
in view, that of finding  his razors; taking them out
of their  case, and placing them in another situation
—a drawer,  I think.  He was cured  of  the habit by
simply removing the razors;  when he could not find
them he returned to his  bed,  and  did not repeat his
walks.   He  knew  nothing of these occurrences, and
was never informed  of his proceedings.
  In one of  my cases a boy walked in his sleep to the
bedroom window, which was  on the third story, and
many feet from the  ground.   He  opened it, got out,
and fell down on the flag-stones  in the yard below.
His fall was  heard  by a neighbour,  who ran  to his
assistance and took  him up.  His hip-joint was in-
jured, and he was lame for some months.  Strange to
say, he received no  other injury from the  fall; and
he  recovered  perfectly.
  Serious, and  even  fatal,  accidents  during sleep-
walking are by no means so rare as is supposed.   Xot
long ago a fall nearly proved fatal to a woman living
in Osborne-terrace, Bromley.   It seems  that she had
thrice  been discovered  walking in  her  sleep, and
once she  got  out into the garden in her night-dress
with a lighted candle in  her hand.   About  three
o'clock  in the morning  her  husband,  a commercial
traveller,  missed her from bed, and on a search  being
made,  she  was found lying  at the  bottom of the
kitchen stairs, bleeding  from a serious  scalp wound.
AYhen  she recovered consciousness, she said—"I don't
know how this happened.  I must have  been  in mv 
Sleep-Walking.                29
sleep, and have fallen."  An extinguished candle was
found at  the  foot of the stairs, and the candlestick
was  clenched  in  her  right hand.

  Mental  Condition.—One of my correspondents sends
me a remarkable instance of a girl learning her lessons
in her sleep.  How this  came  about  I must briefly
state.  Her father, who had held a good position as a
country gentleman, died  in  debt.  The mother  was
in great distress, and having given up her country
house, sent her  daughters  to a  day-school, telling
them that they must profit to the uttermost by the
teaching which she could so ill afford to give them.
They were much impressed with their mother's words,
and  set  to work  industriously.   They  took their
school books up to bed with them, intending to learn
the  lessons set them.  In the  morning  when  they
awoke, one of  the daughters found, when fully awake,
and  applying  her mind to her lessons, that she  had
learnt them all already.   Now, this happened morning
after morning, and the mother puzzled herself over
the  mystery  in  vain.  One  night,  however,  she
happened  to be visiting, and did not return home till
very late.   The moon  was  shining brightly on the
window of the  room where her daughter slept,  and
she  descried her  daughter's form.  She went quietly
upstairs, and entering the room,  found her daughter
seated at  the window in her night-dress only,  and
sound asleep.   Her  lesson-book,  which  was in her
hand was the subject of her  earnest but unconscious
study.  The mystery was solved.   She was trying to
obey her  mother's  desire  "to  profit to the utter-
most "  by the instruction given her.
   I confess that  I accepted this remarkable statement 
3 0                Sleep- II 'alking.
 with some hesitation in the first instance ;l at the same
 time it is not more  extraordinary than working out a
 problem in Euclid, as in the following instance.  The
 process of  committing to memory is,  indeed,  not  so
 high a mental act as this.  A school teacher, now living,
 had conducted a geometry class among the boys for
 some  months, and gave them,  as  an examination
 exercise,  to prove  the 47th problem  of Euclid, Book
 I., taking nothing but the axioms and postulates  as
 granted.   Many tried it, but  only one succeeded in
 the contest.   For some time  he was baffled with one
 stage of the proof,  and retired to  bed with his mind
 full of difficulty.  Late  that  night,  the teacher,  in
 going round the  bedroom  before retiring to  rest,
 found this  boy kneeling on his bed, with his face  to
 the wall,  and pointing from spot to spot, as if follow-
 ing a proof in a figure on a black  board.   He was so
 absorbed  in his occupation that he neither noticed the
 light of the candle nor answered when addressed by
 name ; in short, he was asleep.  He was not disturbed,
 but  was left still proving his problem.
   Next  morning,  before he  left  his  bedroom, the
 teacher said to him—"Well,  John,  have you finished
 your proof?" His reply  was—"Yes, I  have.   I
 dreamed it, and remembered my dream this morning,
 and got out of  bed as soon as I could see, and wrote
 it out at the window."
   In such a case of somnambulism,  the comparison
 made  between the  sleep-walker   and  a  frog de-

  1 I have met recently with a passage in Abercrombie's Intellectual
 Powers, in which he says—" There are many instances on record of
 persons composing during the state of somnambulism ; as of boys
rising in  their sleep and finishing their tasks which they had left
incomplete" (p. 239). 
Sleep-Walking.                 31
prived of its  cerebral hemispheres is only  partially
true,  for ideation is  obviously involved.

   Dreaming  and Hallucinations in relation to sleep-
walking and  screaming.—As might be  supposed, and
as indeed I  have already intimated, there is in the
answers I have received, ample evidence of the action
of the ideational centres in somnambulists, and the
direct influence of  a vivid dream upon  the actions
of the sleep-walker and the screamer.
   One girl almost always dreamt that the room was
full of boiling water, and that she was  trying to escape
from it.  Another saw  a figure, namely, a shepherd
with  a  lady's  bonnet  on  his  head;  and,  what  is
interesting  in  her  case,   the  hallucination  often
remained on  the following day.   She would stand
still, and on  being  asked the reason for  refusing to
move, would reply that there was  the shepherd in
the bonnet in her way.
   A lady informs me that  an act performed by her
daughter during  sleep was connected with a dream
in this wise:  She dreamed about a  shipwreck,  and
she awoke finding herself out of bed.  In the morn-
ing she found she had  wrapped  a large  shawl  care-
fully round the candlestick which was in the chair by
her bedside.  She then saw clearly that the explanation
of the act lay in her having succoured a shipwrecked
sailor, for whom the candlestick had done  duty.
   The physician whose personal  experience  I  have
already  quoted  says—" My sleep-walking has  often
been  associated  with  dreams.   The  subjects  are
generally  one of the  three following:  (1) Fire in
the house,  (2) burglars, (3) damage  to, or death of,
some  near  relative. 
32
Sleep- Walking.
  Another writes—" Dreams seem always to be asso-
ciated with  my  sleep-walking,  and it is  the  almost
invariable accompaniment of the dream, i.e., I  always
put into practice the thing  dreamed.   Once I  dreamt
I was  drowning, and I jumped  out  of bed,  rushed
into the passage, and called  for help  over  the stairs."
  A barrister sleep-walker writes—" On one occasion
I came downstairs in my  night-dress to warn  the
family not to  drink the beer, as I had seen  a crow
fall into it when it was brewing.  This was, of  course,
only a dream,  as no such thing had really occurred."
He adds—" Very vivid dreams are always associated
with  sleep-walking  in  my case.   I  always  dream
when I  sleep,  if only for  a moment,  and  always did
so."  "I  compose poems  and solve  problems in my
dreams, and feel great delight and satisfaction in so
doing;  but when I awake I  find the poems often
without any meaning,  and the solutions of problems
are trash and false.   I have also words and sentences
of horror  in my dreams which are nonsense.  More-
over, I often wake with an  impression of  the  enorm-
ous size of the furniture of my bedroom."

  Speech  in Sleep-walkers {Somniloquy).—Some  som-
nambulists speak with great facility.  One writes—
" I am quite  capable  of  carrying on a conversation
with  any one."   " I  often  talk  during   my sleep-
walking, both when addressed, and also when alone.
For example,  when sleeping  with any one  I make
up  a long story to prove that I am  not asleep,  that
being my great object when  I am asleep, as I  feel
convinced in my own mind that I am awake.  When
alone I talk also."  (He is heard by his family.)
  The same gentleman's sister says—" I have  usuallv 
Sleep-Walking.                33
dreams appropriate to the actions performed.  I some-
times am under the delusion that I have  swallowed
a pair of scissors  or  a  pin, and have a slight  cough
at the time."   A form, it  would seem,  of  globus
hystericus.
  A medical friend (Dr. Yellowlees) writes to me—
" I know an individual who, when a boy,  was found
one night standing up in bed and furiously shaking
the bed-post.  The explanation  was, that he had been
reading  Uncle  Tout's  Cabin,  and believed,  in  his
dream, that he had got hold of  Legree !   When  a
student he  was amazed  one  morning  to  find that
he had the  fire-irons beside  him  in bed,  and  could
only explain it by remembering that he had dreamt
that robbers were going to break into the house, and
that he had intended to confront them with the poker."
Substitute for the  bed-post  a  child  in the bed  or
room, and clearly  this  might have easily  become  a
criminal  case.
  Under the head of speech I may cite a well-marked
case of singing in  sleep,  for which I am indebted to
Dr. Bastian.   It is at the same time an example of
somnambulism occurring in the daytime.  The patient
was  a young lady,  aged twenty-seven,  who had
always  been rather delicate, and was  seen  by  Dr.
Bastian in 1880.   For the preceding four  years  she
had suffered much  from pains in the head,  especially
at periodical times, when  the pains often  continued
for six or eight days.  These  headaches were scarcely
ever accompanied  by sickness.   A  severe headache
came on  one morning  nearly four years  before  she
was  seen by Dr.  Bastian, and  in the  afternoon she
was found  lying  on the bed  in  her room, singing
songs  hymns,  etc.,  in  quick succession,   in a loud,
                                             D 
34                Sleep- Walking.
clear voice.   She could not be roused,  and paid no
heed to questions until  the attack  passed  off.   It
usually did so in from four to six  hours.   For the
first  three  years she  experienced  such attacks  at
intervals of from one to three  months;  but  for nine
months they had been much more frequent,  generally
two or three times a  month.  She sang continuously,
even though  left in the  room  alone.   Dr.  Bastian
states that it has often been remarked that she sings
decidedly better in these  attacks than  when  in her
ordinary  condition.1    After  the  attacks she slept
soundly for thirty minutes or  more.    The pain in
the head was  felt principally over the right eyebrow,
and it always preceded the singing  fits.  Some pain
had been felt  in the left  ovarian region, for four or
five months  before   she  came under  observation.
There were, however,  no  definite signs of hysteria.
Pulse 80,  weak, but  regular.  Complained much of
cold hands and  feet.   A mixture with some quinine
and iron, and  a  bromide draught to  be taken at bed-
time, were prescribed.   One  afternoon soon after
seeing  her, Dr.  Bastian received a  telegram  asking
him to go and see this young lady, then suffering from
one  of  her attacks.  He found her  lying in a dark
room alone, singing, in a  loud  clear voice, song after
song, without  even a momentary pause.   She  took not
the  least notice  when spoken  to,  or when  ordinary
efforts were made to arouse her.  Her skin was cool
(temperature normal) and her face pale.  Pulse small,
weak, 96.  When told, in a loud voice, to  open her
eyes, there were sometimes  slight quivering  move-

  1 In the disoussion which followed the reading of this  paper, a
medical man mentioned the  case of a sleep-walker who  played on
the violin much better in his sleep than when awake. 
Sleep-Walking.                 3-j
    ments  about the eyelids, but  that  was all.   When
    pricked with a needle she did not stop singing, but
    there were slight facial movements indicative of feel-
    ing.   So also  when  attempts were made to separate
    the eyelids, there was distinct resistance;  the  pupils
    were found to be equal and  of  medium size.  A very
    hot stupe, applied over the cardiac  region, produced
    no change in her condition or cessation of the singing.
    This attack continued for rather more than  five  hours.
      One of  the  most remarkable among the  deeds per-
    formed by sleep-walkers communicated to me, occurred
    in the person of a mental physician when hofding the
    post of assistant medical officer  in a large asylum, and
    attested by the unexceptional evidence of another
    physician.   It is a splendid instance of unconscious
    reflex action of the brain—the train  of events origi-
    nating entirely from  without.
      On one occasion, when making his usual morning
    visit in a detached ward occupied by the more excited
    patients, he was about to leave, when the nurse said—
      " You haven't seen the new patient, sir."
      " What new patient ? " said Dr. Blank.
      " The patient you  brought  over during the  night,
    sir."
      " I brought no patient over during the night," was
    the reply.
      " Dr. Blank," said the  amazed nurse, " I'll let you
    see the woman ! "   WTiereupon she  opened the door
    of a room, and showed him a maniacal patient.
•     The fact was  that Dr. Blank had been roused from
    bed, had  dressed,  and  had   gone   downstairs  and
    examined the admission papers. He had received the
*   patient, and as  she was  much excited, had gone out
    of doors to this  detached building to arrange about a
                                              d  2 
3(j                Steep- Walking.

room for her ; yet in the morning all this was utterly
forgotten.    Nothing  but  seeing the patient  there
would convince the doctor that the event had occurred,
and even seeing her  did not recall the  very faintest
recollection of her admission.
  It does  not appear that he had made any entry of
the admission in a book, but, of  course, he must have
conversed  with those who brought the patient to the
asylum.
  Before leaving this very striking example of mental
operations  performed  in sleep, and entire  absence of
recollection of them  next day,  I may add, that if
Dr. Blank  thus forgot real occurrences, he sometimes
imagined events that had  not occurred.   My corre-
spondent informs me that one evening he handed him
a letter across the writing-table,  saying, " Eead that."
"I found," he says, "that it was  a letter announcing
to the relatives of a patient, in proper and sympathetic
words, that the patient had died  during the previous
night."
  I  was much surprised, and  said,  " I didn't know
that patient was dead."
  "Neither is he !"
  " Then why on earth did you  write that  letter ?"
  "I don't know,"  replied Dr. Blank; " I felt sure he
was dead, and wrote it; but as I was closing it for the
messenger, I said to myself,  ' But is that  man really
dead ? '   So I went to see, and he's not dead /"
  Dr. Blank must have sometimes passed, in the day-
time, into  a state of reverie akin to somnambulism,
probably  after dwelling upon some profound meta-
physical  subject, as  when he gave the solitary and
sententious prescription which so nonplused the night
watch, who came to ask what could be done with an 
Sleep-Walking.                 37
 extremely noisy woman.  " Tell her," said he—" tell
 her to  go and take  cognizance  of  herself!"—and
 nothing more could he  utter.
   Recollection of Acts performed by Sleep-ivalkers.—
 I will now briefly refer to the degree in which sleep-
 walkers remember, on  awaking,  what has  occurred
 during the attack.
   Dr. Carpenter remarks, in his Human  Physiology,
 that " nothing which occurs during the state of som-
 nambulism  is ever retraced spontaneously, or can be
 brought back  by an act of recollection."   And  again,
 he observes, that " the phenomena of sleep-walking
 differ from those of artificial reverie or  electro-biology
 in this essential feature, that they occur in a state of
 consciousness so far distinct from the ordinary waking
 condition as not to be connected with it by the  ordinary
 link of memory " (9th edition,  p. 693, 1881).
   Let us see  how far these statements are confirmed
 by the experience of our cases.
   In a sleep-walking patient at Guy's Hospital,  under
 Dr. Wilks, it was found that she remembered  nothing,
 not,  for example, that  she had written with  pen  and
 ink very shortly before she awoke.   Mr. Price,  the
 house-physician, has obliged me with  the following
 note1:—
   " E. H. was in the habit of constantly walking in
her sleep.   This somnambulistic  condition was practi-
cally a spontaneous hypnotic state, all  the phenomena
 I have related holding good in  the sleep-walking con-
dition.   The only difference that I noticed  between
the two was that when sleep-walking, the patient  was
rather less  amenable  to directions  given her,  and
appeared to be somewhat obstinate.
 1 For description of this case in its hypnotic relations, see p.  52. 
38                Sleep-Walking.
   " She would sit up in bed, stare vacantly around her,
 answer questions, and, as when hypnotized, declare she
 did not recognize even the most familiar faces.  She
 would suddenly fall  back in  her bed,  striking her
 head  severely  against the  head-board.   This,   I
 think, accounts for the localized tenderness on admis-
 sion, if not for the occipital  headache as well.  She
 would walk about for hours :  go to the pantry for the
 tea-things, take round the eggs, etc., and place them on
 the patients' lockers, as she was in the habit of  doing
 in the daytime when  assisting the nurses.  She was
 somewhat difficult to awaken from this condition ; the
 application of cold water was utterly useless.  On one
 occasion I threw a large basinful of cold water over
 her, without causing the least  sign of waking, not even
 a shudder.  Blowing twice or thrice on the  conjunctivae
 sufficed to rouse her.  She came  to just as any one
 would in waking up from sleep.   On one occasion  I
 seated her (in her sleep) at a table, roused her, carried
 on a short conversation with her, and got  her to write
 her name ;  then within a minute hypnotized her, and
 aroused her again.   When awakened the second time,
 she declared she had  not  the slightest recollection of
 having written  her  name a  minute  before on the
 paper in front of her, the  ink on which was scarcely
 dry."
  The boy  somnambulist,  known  to Dr.  Yellowlees,
 could not recall  the acts he had performed,  or that
he had left his  bed,  though he  appears  to have
remembered the dream which occasioned his  attack
 on " Legree."
  Dr.----writes of  himself—"Next morning I can
partly remember my nocturnal actions.   I don't always
remember the initial stage—e.g.,  the  getting  out  of 
Sleep-Walking.                39
bed.   I  have had at least  one  walking performance
without  any  remembrance  of  it  at  all,  probably
more.   At  least twice  I have found myself bruised
in the morning without  knowing anything  of the
cause."
   A lady correspondent writes—" I never recollected
my nocturnal  actions,  and can only give  information
of them from what others have told me of them."
   A young gentleman whom I have attended for sleep-
walking not only recollects perfectly having been up
in the  night, and the actions performed, but remembers
the time,  as ascertained by looking at  his watch, for
which  purpose  he lights a lamp, this being  no  doubt
induced by having to go  off by the train next day,
and being fidgety about  not  waking in time.   This
patient makes  the  important  observation  that  he
does not remember  having walked in  his  sleep the
previous  night if he does not wake during the act.
As a  rule, he  does  wake  partially,  but is still
haunted with  the  idea  for a  considerable time  after
waking.
   My  barrister  correspondent says he can often re-
member all that he  has done.
   His  sister,  also a sleep-walker, can recollect well
her nocturnal acts.
   From these examples  it will be seen that the  state-
ment  that somnambulists never  remember what has
occurred during their walks is too  unqualified.  At the
same time, the  fact that the memory is  in  many
instances entirely absent is one of the most interesting
phenomena of somnambulism, and the explanation of
these two separate existences, especially when, as some-
times happens,  the consciousness  of the one state is
resumed in the next attack of somnambulism, has given 
10                Sleep-Walking.
rise to various explanations.  That reflex cerebral acts,
unattended by consciousness, should not be remembered
on awaking, is, however, natural.  The events which
take place are entirely outside the individual's conscious
personal existence.   The Ego does not participate in
them.  Of course, when no ideas are aroused, nothing
will be remembered.  On the other hand, just as when
we are awake we may be conscious of reflex acts if our
attention is directed to them, so in sleep, consciousness
may be sufficiently aroused to register and subsequently
recall the  actions performed.  More commonly, how-
ever,  if any  remembrance  survive, the  dream  is re-
membered, and the motor action is not.   Seeing that
in double  consciousness  the automatic acts of the sleep-
walking state  are  remembered when there is a re-
currence of the attack, there must  be a conscious life
quoad the acts performed, which is not continued into
the waking state.   Some attribute the amnesia which
usually marks sleep-walking to the exhaustion of those
portions  of the  brain  which have been called into
abnormally intense action—the polarity or receptivity
for impressions  being exhausted—but this explanation
does not  seem  to me to be called for.  Apart from
sleep-walking, the phenomena of  abstraction or reverie,
in which acts are registered which are not present to
the consciousness at the time, but are unexpectedly re-
called by after events, serve to illustrate  the  singular
fact of double consciousness in somnambulism.
  Treatment.—The last  point to which I  shall refer is
the practical question of treatment.   Its importance
constitutes a strong reason for medical  men bestowing
more consideration on sleep-walking in the future than
they  have done in the  past.   In  replying  to  the
circular, one correspondent  observes—" Any  one who 
Sleep-Walking.
41
could find more certain remedies for this  distressing
ailment would indeed be a benefactor."
  I meet with much difference of opinion as to whether
children who  develope  this  inconvenient  habit,  or
scream in their sleep, should  be  treated as naughty,
or should be tenderly dealt with.
  In the case of  one family known to me, in which
two  young members screamed frightfully, and  one  of
whom used to get  out of bed,  gentle means  were first
tried, and a  light placed in the room, without the
desired effect.  The habit was broken in one instance
by the little  girl  of  eight being brought  downstairs
and  put in a corner;  in the other by being taken into
a room  below, where the old people were sitting.
   The head-master of a large school informs me that
an epidemic of sleep-walking broke  out in his seminary
some years ago, and  that other means  having failed,
he poured two buckets of  cold water over one of the
boys in bed when  he was  beginning his ambulations.
This measure stopped  his habit effectually, and not
only so,  but  broke that  of the  other boys in the
school.
   One  of my correspondents, a schoolmaster for forty
years, informs me that he has from time to time met
with cases of sleep-walking among  his boys, and that
he cannot recall a  single instance in which he has failed
to effect a cure.   He thinks he owed the idea to  some
observations in Upham's Mental Philosophy.  He thus
writes—" Shortly before the sleep-walker's usual time
of going to  bed,  I  call him on one side, and say in a
serious and decided  tone, ' Henry, I find you were out
of bed, and  making a  disturbance in your room last
night.'   ' Sir,' he  replies,  '  I was asleep; I know
nothing about it.'  Then I say, ' I will say nothing 
42                Sleep- Walking.
more  about it on this occasion, but such a thing must
not occur again.'   ' But, sir, I could not help it, I was
asleep.'   'Well,' I respond, 'you hear what I  say.  I
would not advise you to let it  occur again.'  The boy
leaves me,  possibly with the feeling that he is being
somewhat hardly dealt with, but with an established
operative motive for checking the tendency to som-
nambulism, a motive which doubtless  will continue to
actuate him, even in sleep."
  A physician writes of himself that at one time he
used constantly to place obstacles in front  of his bed-
room  door,  and with the most beneficial effect; pro-
bably, he adds, by imposing on the higher centres a
strong inhibitory task.   " On no single  occasion when
I did this,  can  I remember to have had  any sleep-
walking during the succeeding night."
  One sleep-walker states that his grandmother was,
when young, a sleep-walker, and that she  was cured
by being well whipped on the spot.
  On the  other hand,  a young gentleman who  has
been a persistent and dangerous sleep-walker,  and for
whom I have prescribed the bromides without much,
if  any, benefit, is  at  present relieved by  having a
night-light constantly in his bed-room.  At one time
he took morphia on account  of  having a cough, and
found that it had " a wonderful  effect  in  causing
dreamless  and consequently undisturbed nights,"  but
unfortunately the effect passed off in a little while.
Belladonna seemed to have a beneficial influence for a
short  time, but was of no lasting benefit. In this case,
scolding  only  caused  fear of  detection,  and when
caught, deception.  When  the door  was  locked as a
preventive  measure, he knocked loudly at it, until the
family was roused. 
Sleep-Walking.                 43
  Another  sleep-walker   (the  barrister)  says—"I
was cured by the administration of half-a-dozen raisins,
soaked in brandy, on retiring to  rest, which from  my
subsequent experience I am satisfied will cure most
people."   We  can  hardly suppose that the brandy,
still less  the raisins, had much or anything to do with
the cure.   If it were not merely  a  coincidence, it is
probable  that  the patient had  great faith in  the
remedy,  and that the expectation that he would  not
walk  in  his  sleep, made  him slumber without rising
from his bed.
   I know the case of a girl at school addicted to sleep-
walking, who rose one night and proceeded  to another
bedroom, where she opened the window, and was with
difficulty prevented by two of her schoolfellows from
precipitating herself below.  Now, she was treated as
a naughty girl, but without a beneficial  result.   She
was also tied to her bed, but this  had only  the  effect
of irritating her.  The fact was she  slept alone,  and
when she was allowed to sleep  in a room with other
girls she was relieved of the habit.   She was, I should
add, a nervous girl, for whom school learning was too
great a strain.
   In this connection I may observe that  a German
physician, Johannes  Bohn, who wrote a dissertation
upon  sleep-walking  in  1717, in  which  he said  that
many at that time fiercely called its  existence in ques-
tion,* speaks of those authors who,  like Blancardus,
recommend exciting the senses of the sleep-walker by
shouting at him, by objurgations, and by blows, so as
to deter him, by producing a deep  impression on his
brain, from walking in his sleep again ; and he refers
to the well-known practice of placing a bucket full of
cold water by  the  side of the  bed   for the somnam- 
44                Sleej)- Walking.
bulist to walk into ; but Bohn himself preferred fasten-
ing the leg or wrist of the person to the bed, and he also
recommends  blowing snuff through a tube into the
sleep-walker's nostrils, and gives the case of a young
nobleman who was  cured by this means alone.
  I  may  say,  that however imperfect this investi-
gation  has  been,  it  shows  that  in regard  to  the
treatment  of  sleep-walking,  there  is  undeniable
evidence of  benefit being  derived  from producing a
strong impression  on the mind of  the somnambu-
list,  in  the  way  of calling  into  force the  higher
and  controlling centres of  the brain.
  As the  abnormal condition of the sleep-walker lies
in part in the lower centres performing their functions
in sleep, while volition, and to a limited degree ideation,
are  temporarily in abeyance, it  is not surprising that
when absorbing  mental  work has  exhausted  the
supreme cortical centres, the basal  ganglia  may still
fully respond to stimuli, whether external or internal.
It is a  striking and at first sight  contradictory fact,
however, that some prominent idea remains in  even
vivid activity, and  stimulates  the  motor centres  from
within.   It  might  have been supposed that a brain
exhausted, for instance,  with  Euclid,  would, more
especially on this subject,  have been dead asleep; but
it is not so.   It would seem as if the prolonged exer-
cise of the voluntary direction  of the thoughts to a
particular study—the strenuous use of the attention—
exhausted the will-power,  but allowed the ideas Avith
which the mincl has been chiefly exercised  to flow  on
automatically,  thus  giving rise  to  dreaming, and
easily  arousing into action  the  sensori-motor and
spinal centres.
  There is, as  we  have said, a loss of  normal equi- 
Sleep-Walking.                 45
librium between the various encephalic centres, which,
though it may in some instances  be due  to irregular
vaso-motor  action  and  bbod-supply,  is,  as a  rule,
purely dynamic in its character.
  If this be the correct  rationale  of  sleep-walking, it
is not surprising  that a  powerful moral  influence or
shock should prove useful in restoring the equilibrium,
relieving the will of its paralysis, and exciting mental
control.   I suppose that  in the case of the boy threat-
ened  with punishment  if he walk again in his sleep,
the impression on the brain works in such a way that
when the tendency arises to repeat the act,  the will is
more  easily aroused, and determinately asserts itself.
Just as when any one has forcibly  impressed on  his
mind at bedtime that he  is to rise at an early hour, the
brain automatically works to that end, and the slightest
sound awakes him and excites the dominant idea, so
the threat to the child  leads  to the prompt exercise
of control in the initial  stage  of  somnambulism, and
prevents his leaving his bed.
  So  again, the throwing cold water upon a boy when
actually walking  in his  sleep, acts  for the future in
the same way as  the threat.  Whether it  is well to
cut an attack short in this heroic manner  is another
question.   It is remarkable, however, that the replies
to my inquiries do not speak of seriously mischievous
consequences following this mode of dealing with the
affection ; on the  contrary, it appears to have proved,
in some  instances,  an  effectual  cure, if it failed in
others.
  In  conclusion,  it may be observed  that the  most
important and interesting  questions respecting  sleep-
walking are the  condition  of  the brain, and the
vaso-motor nerves (and centre) supplying this organ ; 
46                 Sleep- Walking.

the  relation  of   sleep-walking  to  nervous  diseases,
especially epilepsy; the degree in which sleep-walkers
can see in the dark, and are guided by the muscular
sense and touch; the  measures which ought to be
taken with  sleep-walkers who have committed homi-
cidal acts;  and  the  moral and medical  (including
the  prophylactic) treatment of  sleep-walking.  My
object will  have  been attained if,  in addition to con-
tributing some cases and reflections towards the eluci-
dation of these inquiries, I succeed in  inducing those
who are  in  possession of  any facts of value bearing
on my theme, to communicate them to me.1

  1 I am glad to be able to add that one practical consequence has
followed the reading of this paper before the Metropolitan Branch
of the British Medical Association.  Dr. Mahomed proposed,  and it
was unanimously agreed, that information on the subject should be
sought  by the Committee  for the  Collective  Investigation of
Disease. 
Sleep-Walking.                 47
            SLEEP-WALKING.

                Circular of Inquiry}

   Age

   Sex

   Occupation

   1. Have  other  members of your family shown a
tendency  to  sleep-walking ?   If so, what was  their
relationship to you?

   2. Do you know of  any cases of  nervous disease
in your family ?

   3. Have you a nervous temperament, or otherwise ?

   4. Do  you  know   whether   you  are   readily
susceptible to the so-called " mesmeric "  or hypnotic
influence ?

   5. WTiat was your  state  of  general health when
subject to somnambulism ?

   6. At what period of life was sleep-walking  first
noticed ?  Under what circumstances did it arise, and
in what particular manner ?
  1 The value of the answers would be greatly  increased if drawn
up by a medical man. 
48                Sleep- Walking.
   7. Has  its course been continuous or interrupted,
 and has it now ceased?

   8. What  actions  do you usually perform while
 sleep-walking?   Mention  any striking incidents  that  •
 have occurred.

   9. State, if possible, your condition  during these
 acts as observed by others (openness and use of eyes,
 state of pupils,  power  of hearing, common sensation,
 etc.).

   10. Next  morning,  can  you  recollect  your noc-
 turnal actions, and your state of mind at  the time ?
 Have  you observed whether dreams have  been asso-
 ciated with  sleep-walking, and  if  so, whether  they
 were appropriate to  the actions  performed ?

   11.  Have  the phenomena  of  double consciousness
 been manifested in  your case ?

   12.  Have  you  observed  whether  in  dreams  any
 particular  class  of sensations  or ideas is  habitually
 absent ?   (As, for example, that you  never dream of
 things smelt or touched.)

   13.  Mention any actions you have performed which
 are ordinarily associated with considerable intellectual
 activity (arithmetical calculations, literary or musical
composition).

   14.  Do you ever talk during sleep-walking, and if
so, is it only when addressed ? 
                   Sleep- Walking.                 49

   lo.  Has it been  observed by yourself  or'others,
that sometimes certain movements  cannot  be per-
formed, Avhile others are being performed ?   (As, for
example,  that  a hand or a  foot  seems temporarily
paralysed.)

   16.  When  your eyes  are open  Avhile  walking,  do
you know whether your actions  have been influenced
by objects Avhich,  if awake, you Avould have seen?

   17.  Do you usually aAvake before returning to bed?

   18.  Does the occurrence of sleep-Avalking cause a
feeling of fatigue  next day ?

   19.  Has  it  been  needful  to  adopt precautions
against your placing yourself in dangerous situations,
or  committing acts  dangerous to others?

   20.  Have  you  noticed  whether you are  specially
apt to  Avalk in your sleep after  any particular event
or condition ? {e.g., late supper, fatigue, illness.)

   21.  What drugs, if  any,  haA^e been administered,
and Avith what  success ?  If apparently successful,
has the omission of  the medicine led to a recurrence
of sleep-Avalking ?

   22.  Has any manner  of  spending  the  preceding
day appeared to preA'ent the sleep-Avalking ?

   23.  Has  any  severe  repressiATe  treatment  been
tried, and if so, with Avhat  success ?  (e.g., scolding,
placing cold water tub in the way.) 
50                Sleep-Walking.

  24. Have you been subject to nightmare ?

  25. Have you been  accustomed  to  talk  in  your
sleep ?

  Can you send me the name and address of any persons
who ivould fill up this circular ?

  Signature (or initials)

  Address

  The replies  to the  above, numbered according to
the questions,  to be forwarded to Dr. Tuke, Lyndon
Lodge, Hanwell, W. 
CASE   OF   SPONTANEOUS
INDUCED    SLEEP-WALKING
I have briefly referred, in the preceding pages,  to
a case of  sleep -Avalking in Guy's Hospital.   I  am
under  great  obligation  to  Dr. Wilks and his late
house-physician, Mr. Price, not only for  allowing me
to examine the patient  and test her in several ways
when in a state of somnambulism, but for placing at
my disposal the notes made by the latter  gentleman
Avhile she Avas in the hospital.  I have already utilized
most  of those notes which relate to sleep-walking ;
the  folloAving mainly  refer  to  her condition when
hypnotized.   I shall refer again and again to the case
in the section on  the  mental condition induced by
hypnotism, but I may remark here that nothing could
better  illustrate  the  mutually  instructive way  in
Avhich  sleep-walking  and  artificial  somnambulism
serve to elucidate each other.  No one who has seen
anything  of  cases  of  hypnotism Avould doubt  the
o-enuineness of the symptoms presented by E. H., had
he seen her A\men at Guv's Hospital.
                                         e  2 
52  Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep- Walking.
Case  of  Spontaneous  and Induced Sleep-Walkino
    at   Guy's  Hospital,  under  the   care   of
    Dr.  Wilks.

  (Communicated by  J. A. P. Price,  P.A., Jf.U.)

  The patient, E. H.,  Avas  admitted  into  Guy's
Hospital,  December  19th, 1882,  under Dr.  Wilks'
care.  She was sixteen years  of age, by occupation a
general servant, and came into the  hospital on account
of headache and sleep-Avalking.
  When nine  years  of age she commenced to have
"fits."   These came  on during  the  day  or night
without any warning;  she would  fall  down, bite her
tongue, and remain unconscious for a short  time; on
Avaking   up she had  no knowledge  of   what  had
occurred.  At first the  "fits" were two or  three
daily, but during the last four years, far less fre-
quent—only  two or  three  yearly.    She has now
been  free  from " fits "  for a  year.
  She has frequently suffered from vomiting and
sickness, independently of food, and  has complained
of retching on getting  out of bed in the morning. She
says that her heart beats quickly on going upstairs.
   She states that she is noisy—makes  a noise  in  her
sleep—and occasionally  gets out  of  bed and walks.
She is   a  well-nourished, somewhat ansemic-looking
girl, tall for her  age; she has a dull, heavy look.
On the left elbow  and  on the  inner  side of the  left
thigh are small  scars,  stated  to be  the result  of
abscesses.   The lymphatic glands  are not enlarged.
   She breathes quickly  and  deeply when the  least 
    Cote of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking. 53

excited,  and this she  readily  becomes, even  when
examined Avith the stethoscope, the heart-beat  being
quickened at  the same  time.
  The mental faculties are clear.
  The knee-jerk is sluggish in both legs;  more so in
the right than   in  the  left   leg;  at times   eATen
absent in the former.   She ccmplains of occipital
headache, and her scalp OA^er the occipital region is
tender.
  Whilst in the hospital she suffered from  constipa-
tion.   She Avas  cheerful, very  fond  of  playing  with
the  children  in the   Avard,   good-tempered,   and
Avillingly  gaA~e  a helping  hand to the nurses.   She
frequently complained of  the headache and occipital
tenderness mentioned  on admission.   Her appetite
Avas moderate, and at times indifferent.
  She frequently Avalked  in her  sleep, and strongly
resisted all attempts to put her  back into bed.   The
next morning she Avould haAc no  knoAvledge of what
she had done  during  the  previous night, and Avould
complain  of  feeling  tired and  sleepy.  She  never
resumed,  in a subsequent  somnambulistic  state, any-
thing  she commenced in  a preA'ious one.
  Her family history Avas  only  ascertained with some
difficulty, and that imperfectly.   Her mother,  she
said, Avas  dead,  and as  far  as  Ave  could  learn  her
father had had   something to  do  Avith the mother's
death.  She rarely spoke of her father,  merely stating
that he AA^as dead to  her; Avhether  a  state criminal
or not Ave could  never  ascertain.   Of  her brother she
spoke in terms of affection.   These  facts bear upon
the subsequent description of her  symptoms.  During
her stay in the hospital  no organic disease AAras  dis-
covered, and  sle left, on  March  16th, 1883,  in the 
54  Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking.

same condition as she entered, except that  her head-
ache was less constant.   Her sleep-walking persisted.
  The following is,  as far  as  it goes, an accurate
description  of  the  hypnotic  or induced somnam-
bulistic condition presented  by the patient.
  In order to induce hypnotism, a watch was used on
the first few  occasions,  being held about  eighteen
inches  away from the patient, and  on a  level with
her eyes.   Subsequently  other  objects,  such as a
pencil case, stethoscope, etc.,  were used for the same
purpose, and it did  not make any difference whether
the object to be  gazed at was held  above, beloAV, or
on a level with the patient's eyes.
  After gazing for  less  than a minute at the Avatch,
the eyes became fixed,  and remained so  Avhen the
Avatch  Avas removed.   On  being  asked if  she could
see the watch, she replied  in the affirmative, and on
being told to catch hold  of  it she  grasped the air,
stretching out her hand to the spot where  the  Avatch
had been lately held.
  She was then told to hold out her hand  and place
it palm downwards on  the palm of the hypnotizer,
and when told that she could not  move it  therefrom,
she seemed utterly unable to  do so.  In this way she
was led round the room by the operator, quite  unable
to resist following him, and was  even  brought to her
knees when the hand  of  the latter was lowered to the
ground.   A  sudden  movement  on  the part  of the
operator's hand  left  the patient's  outstretched, the
movement apparently being too quick and unexpected
to  be  followed.   Whilst the  arm  was  thus  out-
stretched, a pencil was  placed in the  palm, and the
patient was led to suppose that  it was red  hot  (the
absurdity of a red hot wooden pencil never struck the 
    Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking.  55

patient).   It Avas immediately dropped.  When, hoAV-
ever, previous to the pencil being placed in her  palm,
she Avas told that she could not  moA^e her arm from
its outstretched position, she was quite unable to  get
rid of the  supposed red hot article, and her features
expressed the feeling of  great pain ; when the pencil
Avas taken  away, and she was asked whether she had
been burnt, she replied  " yes," and pointed to  her
palm when asked  where.    Eubbing  the spot, and
telling her it Avas  thus  cured,  soon satisfied her.
   She performed,  when  asked,  any movements;  if
asked to  shut her  eyes  or  mouth,  she  did so, and
failed to re-open them, though trying hard  to do  so.
Similar results Avere obtained  Avith the  limbs, etc.
When told that she could not breathe, she  held  her
breath for  a short time—not much longer than any
ordinary individual could—and soon commenced to
breathe again  Avith deep inspiration.  When told she
was dead, if in the upright position, she would  fall
backwards on to her glutei first of all,  and  then  on
her  back, like a person who Avishes to avoid hurting
herself.  On one occasion she was left thus lying for
quite half  an hour.
  In her  open mouth, Avhich she had been assured
she could not shut,  a lump  of sugar, suggested to be
poison,  Avas placed, Avhereupon  she tAvisted up her
features, and seemed to  be in great trouble, neither
uttering  a  Avord, nor attempting to eject the sugar.
The latter, however, Avas promptly expelled  when
told that  she could shut her mouth.  Any movement
performed in front  of her she  would imitate.   She
mimicked  laughing  and sobbing,  passing  suddenly
from  one to the other.
  When asked  to  sing, she  sang some  child's  song, 
56  Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep- Walking.

probably  learned  years  before.   She possessed no
knoAAdedge of  any such song when certain of its lines
were  quoted to her during  her ordinary  Avide-aAvake
state.
  When seated at a table, she was asked to play the
piano (i.e.,  the table in front of her).   She awkwardly
fingered  the table,  like  a  person who  had   never
learned to play,  as in her  oaati  case, and  on being
questioned, said she was playing a quadrille.  When
requested, she would dance and jig about.   On being
told to read, she invariably  held the book given  her
upside doAvn, and  read paragraphs from some child's
school-book,  chiefly of words of  one syllable, in  a
slow, drawling manner, like a child who had not long
learned to read.   As  in  the  case  of the song,  she
seemed to be unconsciously recalling  her childhood's
experiences.   She could, when in her normal   condi-
tion, read Avell.  A cushion  Avas given to her, and the
idea impressed upon  her mind that  it  amis a baby,
whereupon she nursed it in a natural manner.   When
told the baby  Avas hungry,  she, of her OAvn  accord,
took up  a biscuit, which  happened to be on  a table
close  at hand,  chewed a  small portion,  and then
endeaAToured to thrust the thus softened morsel into
the cushion.   On  striking the cushion violently,  and
leading her to  suppose that  the baby had been killed,
she  screamed,  and  Avas  deeply  grieAred,   but  Avas
soon pacified by  being told that the  child was anve
and well.   It was with some difficulty  that she was
induced  to part with  the supposed baby—that is, as
long as she believed it to  be a baby, and was not  told
that it was only a cushion ;  to persuade her  to the
latter belief was in itself not the matter of a moment.
She was given an antimacassar, and it was called a 
    Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking. 57

bonnet, and  she was told to put it  on and  go for a
walk ;  this she did,  tying the article under her chin.
Soon afterwards she Avas  told to take off her bonnet,
and did so, of her oaati accord hanging it upon  a nail,
to get  at which  she had  to  step on a chair;  the nail
had not  been observed by any around, and the place
was strange to the patient.
   A piece of paper, Avith  pen and ink, being placed in
front  of  her, she  Avas told to write a letter  to her
master.  The pen had to be given her the right end
up,  otherAvise she  dipped  the  handle into  the  ink.
She Avrote utter nonsense, finishing the note Avith a
name  other  than  her oavu, and  addressing  it  in-
correctly.  Her AATiting,  like her reading,  AAras  child-
like.   In her normal condition she wrote a good hand.
When Avriting, a piece of paper Avas held  in front of
her  eyes.   She hesitated  a second,  contracted her
broAV,  made no attempt to romoA'o the interposed sheet
of  paper, but Avrote on in an  unconcerned  manner;
not, hoAvever,  in   a  straight line  as  before,  but
straggling in a doAvnAvard, slanting  direction  across
the page.
   When asked her name  and age, she never answered
correctly, but gave different names  and different ages
at  different  times.   Some of the names given were
those  of  people  she kneAV.  Her address she never
gave correctly.  She greatly disliked being  told she
Avas a  servant, and said  she was a lady.
   She  declared  she kneAV none  of  those around her,
not  even  those with AArhom she was most  familiar, as
the sister of the ward, the nurses, or myself, as  house-
physician.   She professed ignorance of names  in the
same manner.  Wlien  told to do so, she would walk
about  the ward,  Avith which she was familiar, with 
58   Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep- Walking.

the vacant stare Avhich she usually presented through-
out the hypnotic condition, and avoided obstacles in
her way ; in a gas-lit, unused, and unfamiliar ward,
she kept constantly knocking against the bedsteads on
either side of her.
  When assured she AAras deaf, she paid no heed to
anything  that was  said to her, and  it was necessary
to shout into her ear in  order to rouse her from her
supposed deafness.  Her dislike to her father, and her
fondness for her brother, Avere retained  during the
hypnotic condition.  She  struck violently a bystander
Avhom she  supposed, on suggestion, to  be  her father,
and kissed the hand of any person she believed to be
her brother.
  On one occasion, when in  the hypnotic condition,
the patient was given her ordinary tea; she was first
asked which she Avould prefer—brandy, tea, or coffee.
She expressed great disgust at the idea  of brandy, and
chose coffee in  preference to tea ; the  latter was,
however,  given her, under the pretence that  it was
coffee.   The first mouthful she swallowed was hot,
yet it did not seem to inconvenience her.  A piece of
bread and butter was  given her to eat as  bread and
butter first of all, and then, under the idea that it Avas
cake, she swallowed  the  make-believe  cake with  far
greater  avidity  than she did  the  bread and butter.
On being roused  from  the  hypnotic  condition, she
asked for her tea, and would not believe that she had
already  taken  it.   She was supplied with a  second
tea, and ate it very contentedly, making a good meal.
  The   foregoing  facts  were  observed on  different
occasions, and in most cases were several times elicited
with the  same results.  I need not say that precau-
tions were taken to aA^oid our being imposed upon. 
   Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking.  59

  I should state here, that she Avas easily roused from
the hypnotic condition by blowing on the conjunctivae
once or tAvice, less  easily  by  slapping  her cheeks,
very  readily  and  promptly  by  means  of a  fairly
strong Faradic current.  When roused, she expressed,
and I  have  no  doubt correctly, absolute ignorance
of all  that had passed when she was in the hypnotic
state.

   A  short  account of  the condition  of  the special
senses and muscular rigidity during this induced con-
dition must be given to  complete; the case.
   The pupils were a little dilated  at  first, but soon
resumed the normal  condition.  The  eyes were kept
wide  open (except when told  to  close them, and  for
an occasional  blink),  staring, until  the tears  ran
doAvn the checks.  Her eyesight was good for certain
objects,  and the pupils reacted to light.
   Sense of smell seemed to be absent.
   Taste.—Quinine, sugar, and  salt  were given  her to
taste ; the first she pronounced to be flour, the  second
something gritty, and the third sand.
   Both smell and taste were naturally good.
   Hearing Avas good.
   Sensation. — Analgesia  complete  ;   conjunctivae
touched  without  blinking;  SAvallowed  hot  tea as
mentioned.    A pinch  or prick on the  skin  caused
no change  in the size of the  pupils.
   Reflexes.—Knee-jerk unaltered;1 no ankle-clonus.
   Muscular Rigidity .—The arm, when voluntarily ex-
tended,  was somewhat rigid, and became markedly so
 on stroking it from above downwards.   On stroking
 back and legs, and placing her so that the head rested
         1 i.e., same as in unhypnutized slate (page 53). 
60   Case of Spontaneous and Induced Sleep-Walking.

on one chair, AA'hilst the heels rested  on another, the
body kept quite stiff and horizontal for some minutes,
the muscles ultimately relaxing.
   It was suggested that the patient was deluding us,
in fact, that the Avhole  proceedings Avere on her part
a sham.   This I do not for a moment  belie\Te.   She
herself A\ras most anxious to be cured  of  her sleep-
Avalking, as it  debarred her from  going back to the
situation Avhich she had left.  But apart from this, the
precautions Ave took to  preA^ent imposition rendered
it impossible, had she desired it.
   How  far the above phenomena Avere mixed up Avith
the so-called hysterical condition I do not knoAV, unless
Ave are  to  regard  as such the anaesthesia during both
spontaneous and artificial somnambulism. 
THE
MENTAL  CONDITION  IN HYPNOTISM

   (ARTIFICIAL   SOMNAMBULISM).



I have for years been  strongly impressed Avith the
interest and  physiological  importance  of  hypnotic
phenomena, but I frankly confess that often as I have
endeavoured to form a clear idea of the cerebro -mental
condition of the hypnotized, I  have felt misgivings  as
to whether I  had fully succeeded; at  any  rate, I feel
sure  that  I, for  one,  am  not  justified in speaking
dogmatically  as to the physiology or psychology  of
hypnotism, and as Ave go along we shall, if I am not
mistaken, be  disposed to hold some vieAvs as possibly,
others as probably, and  only a  feAV perhaps as certainly
true.
   The  data  upon Avhich  Ave have to  attempt to  form
an opinion or construct  a theory are—
   1. The conditions necessary to induce  the  state in
question.
   II. The objective symptoms of  the  hypnotized
person so far as Ave can observe them; and
   III. The subjective state experienced and described
by himself in those instances  in which memory, more
 or less distinct, is retained  of what has been present
 to the mind  during the hypnotic condition. 
02       The  Mental Condition  in  Hypnotism.

  I  am  fortunate  in  having  obtained  from  several
competent  gentlemen  who have  been hypnotized  a
description of  their  oavti feelings  during the  state
when  conscious,  one  being  Mr.  W. North, B.A.,
Lecturer on Physiology at Westminster Hospital, and
for three years Sharpey Scholar at University College,
London; another, Mr.  M----, a medical student at
St.  Thomas's Hospital; the other a  clergyman; all
able coadjutors in  this inquiry.
  Although the mental condition present in hypnotism
is the title  and object  of  my  paper,  I shall touch
upon the matters comprised under the  first and second
sections before entering upon  the third, as they bear
more  or  less  directly upon  the ultimate  question
discussed.

  I. As to  the  conditions necessary  to induce the
hypnotic state.
  As  is  well known, staring  at a disc or some well-
defined object is a very  frequent method employed
for  this purpose,  but  we knoAV  that  other methods
are  effective, as  the monotonous sensory impressions
produced by  passes, by counting up to  several hundred
figures, by listening to  the ticking of a watch, etc.
  In  a  milder  form  we  do  the  same sort  of thing
constantly in trying to  go  to sleep;  in fact,  I am
often surprised that persons do not sometimes throw
themselves into  an  actually  hypnotic  (xmdition in
attempting to  go to  sleep.
  The principle common to  the various modes of
hypnotizing  is, on the physical side, the stimulation,
more or  less prolonged, of a  sensory nerve  in close
relation to the brain, calculated to ultimately exhaust
some portion of  that organ, and  on the mental side 
        The  Mental  Condition in  Hypnotism.      63

the riveting  the attention  on one idea.   Looking at
an object  is not essential, for the blind man may be
hypnotized,  and in  susceptible  persons  the merely
expecting to be hypnotized is  sufficient to induce it,
the expectation in this case  involving the concentration
of the attention to one point.
   Mr. North,  in his notes,  says—"I have not  the
smallest doubt that, at first, I succeeded in abstracting
myself, as it were,  from surrounding circumstances.
I  had  been reading  very  hard  for days past on
the  subject  of  intestinal digestion in relation to the
bacteria produced, and I pictured to myself the in-
terior of  the intestine and its contents;  then I tried
to picture a special form  of  bacteria, and AAdiile I
Avas engaged in contemplating  its changes of  form I
seemed  to  lose all consciousness  of  persons  around
me."
   On a  subsequent trial being made (see p.  69) he
 looked at his boot, and  thus describes the process:—
 " I  ultimately succeeded in fixing my attention on six
 points of  light reflected upon my boot, and having some
 minute  resemblance in position to the  constellation
 Orion.   After looking fixedly  at this for what seemed
 to me a very long time, the idea of the  constellation
 vanished, and its  place was taken by the outline of
 the loAver part of the  face of a friend.   All I could
 see was his  beard and mouth and part of  his nose and
 one cheek;  the rest Avas abruptly cut off by a broad,
 black area ; the details were tolerably vivid."
   The voluntary  surrender of the will—the subject
 placing  himself passively in  the hands of  the ope-
 rator__is also an important factor in nearly all the
 processes.   It is  the  initial  step  to the subsequent
 surrender of the Avill of the subject to that of another; 
64      The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

but  the  concurrence of  the Avill  is  not absolutely
necessary in those Avho have been already hypnotized
and  are highly  susceptible to sensory  impressions,
especially  if  these are  associated  in their  minds
with the hypnotic  sleep.   MM. Charcot  and Eicher,
Avhose  researches in hypnotism are  well kmrwn,  have
shoAvn that the subject  may be surprised, and  oven
rendered cataleptic, the moment his attention is in the
least arrested.   He is seized, and,  as  it were, instan-
taneously petrified,  Avhatever efforts he makes to resist
the influence.  M. Eicher constantly induces hypnotism
by  throwing a brilliant  electric  light  upon the face
of persons  not expecting it, or by suddenly striking
a gong Avhich had  been  concealed.   Sometimes it has
happened that others have passed into this cataleptic
condition AA'ho  happened  to  be  on  the spot, or near,
for Avhom  the  experiment  Avas not  intended.   An
amusing illustration of this occurred  one day .at the
Salpetriere, and  occasioned a  scene  Avhich,  as M.
Eicher  says,   in a communication AArith which he
has  favoured me,  was asses plaisante.   One  of the
patients was suspected of stealing  some photographs
from   the   hospital, but  she  indignantly  denied
the charge.  One  morning  M. Eicher, after haA'ing
made some experiments  upon other subjects, found
the suspected thief with  her hand  in  the drawer
containing  the photographs, having already concealed
some of them in her pocket.  M.  Eicher approached
her.   She  did not move ;   she Avas  fixed—she  was
transformed into a statue,  so  to speak.   The blows
on the gong made in the adjoining Avard had rendered
her cataleptic at the very moment when, aAvay  from
the observation of  all, she  committed the theft.  M.
Eicher  awoke  her  by bloAving on  her  face.   Her 
         The  Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.       G~)

 confusion  can be  imagined.   It Avas no longer pos-
 sible to deny her  larceny.  Were  burglars but hys-
 terical  or  neurotic, Avhat a grand resource Avould the
 police haA^e  in  hypnotism !

   II. As to the objective symptoms of the hypnotized.
   These necessarily vary with the stage or type, and
 before proceeding further I must here  observe that it
 is essential to bear  in  mind  that  no  description of
 symptoms, AArhether  bodily or  mental,  applies  to  all
 the  stages or classes of hypnotism.  I may remind
 you that Charcot  and  Eicher, and, following  them,
 Tamburini and  Seppilli, recognize three fundamental
 types—the cataleptic, the lethargic, and the somnam-
 bulistic.  In  the first the limbs retain the positions
 in Avhich they  are placed, for  a  considerable  time,
 without effort; in the second (the lethargic) the muscles
 which are  relaxed  are found  to have the remarkable
 property of contracting  in a most definite way under
 gentle mechanical applications;  in the third (the som-
 nambulistic)  the state  of the subject answers  much
 more to what is popularly understood as the so-called
 magnetic or  mesmeric  sleep.    Contractions  of the
 limbs  can be induced,  but they are  of a different
 character from  those in the  cataleptic  form, or the
 excitability of the  muscles in the  lethargic  state.
  In face of  the simulation so frequently practised, it
 is especially important to note the objective symptoms
 in hypnotism, but  in describing them  now  I  more
 particularly  desire  to  give a   complete picture  of
 the  symptoms presented in hypnotism, for I  shall
 not  strictly confine  myself, as  I have  said,  to the
 mental condition, seeing Iioav much  the  state of the
body elucidates  that of  the  mind.
                                             F 
60      The  Mental Condition  in  Hypwdism.

  Pupils.—There are,  Avhen  the subject  regards  the
operator's  disc,  the  natural  effects  of  increased
accommodation,   strabismus,  and contracted pupils ;
and  eAren after  removal  of the  disc, the eyes  often
haAre  a  peculiar appearance from  a  A'ery  slight
strabismus, and the hypnotized person is unable to read
a paper without bringing it near to  him.
  After the  first effect of looking  at an object  has
caused the  pupils to contract, they  become  dilated
if the individual passes  into the hypnotic state. Often
I have  observed  them Avidely dilated and  sluggish,
an indication of  the functional  activity of the medulla
oblongata as regards the sympathetic.
  On measuring Mr. North's pupils before and during
the sleep  Ave found  them three  and  six  millimetres
respectively.
  Mr. Braid says that the pupils, after being  greatly
dilated and  highly insensible  to light, subsequently
become  contracted,  but  still  insensible  to  different
degrees of light.
  Tamburini  and Seppilli  find  the  pupils  dilated
and   insensible  to  light, but  Heidenhain adduces
their sensibility to light  as a  proof  that  the  corpora
quadrigemina are not affected by hypnotism.
   Cerebral Circulation.—Have Ave any means of  de-
termining  the  state of  the  cerebral circulation in
hypnotism '■
  Sometimes  there  are  indications of flushing  and
discomfort of  the head, and Mr. Braid says that he
occasionally observed the face so much flushed,  and
the action of the heart so tumultuous, that he  aroused
the  subject,  but  certainly   anything  like  serious
cerebral  disturbance appears  to  be  very  rare.
  Heidenhain,  in the   first   instance,  believed  the 
         The Mental  Condition in Hypnotism.      07

vessels to be contracted, and that the anaemia caused
the sleep.  But as those who are hypnotized are often
flushed instead of being pale, he began to doubt this.
Then he asked Professor  Forster  to examine the
vessels of the retina  with the ophthalmoscope.   The
operation Avas  difficult, for  the  bright  light  soon
aroused  the subject.   However, he  succeeded  in
obtaining a  sufficiently distinct vieAV of the retina to
make out that there was no contraction of  the Aressels.
Heidenhain maintains that it can hardly be supposed
that the vessels of the cerebrum and eyes are in an
essentially different  condition,  and  therefore  finds
another  proof  that the brain is not anaemic in the
hypnotic sleep.  There would, however, be a difference
of  opinion  on  this point, some not  regarding the
condition of the retina as to vascularity as a test of
the state of the circulation in the brain.
   That fulness of the cerebral vessels is not inconsistent
with the condition of brain in  hypnotism is, however,
shown by the fact on which Heidenhain most relies,
that persons can be hypnotized who have inhaled nitrite
of amyl, as  happened to his  brother, and Dr. Kroner,
on AA'hom Heidenhain  tried the  experiment of com-
bining amyl and hypnotism with the result I have
stated.
   BroAATi-Sequard has shoAvn, by inducing unconscious-
ness (inhibition of mental functions) from irritation or
lesion  of a certain point in  the  medulla oblongata in
animals, while the cervical  sympathetic was divided.
that the result  is  not  due  to contraction  of the
cerebral  vessels.
   Respiration  and Circulation.—The  respiration and
the  pulsations  of  the heart  are,  as  a rule,  much
quickened at first. 
68      The  Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

  The pneumograph has been employed by Professor
Tamburini,   of  Eeggio  Emilia,  and   some  of  his
tracings  are  striking.  He  finds  the   frequency  of
respiration to be doubled at  first, and the inspiratory
pause suppressed.   Heidenhain  says  he has seen the
number of respirations in fifteen  seconds rise from
four to twelAre,  or catii from three  to  sixteen.
  M.  Eicher, at  the Salpetriere,  has  made  similar
tracings, and finds them very significant.  They are
useful, also,  as  a  test  of  simulation.  He says that
with the cataleptic  subject the tracing  is  uniform in
character from beginning to end.  With the simulator,
on the contrary, it is composed of two  distinct parts.
At the beginning, respiration is regular and normal;
in the second  stage, that AAhich corresponds  to  the
indications of muscular fatigue, irregularity  in  the
rhythm occurs  with  deep  and  rapid  depressions,
manifest indications of the disturbance of the respira-
tion caused by the effort to simulate.
  The quickened action of the lungs and heart was
strikingly shown in the  case of Mr. M-----,  of St.
Thomas's, when I saw him hypnotized by Mr. Hansen
a few weeks ago.
  He writes—" After gazing for a few minutes at the
disc that Mr. Hansen had given me on first going on
the stage,  I was beginning to fall comfortably  asleep,
but as soon as he  began  passing his hands over  my
face I felt a  sort of oppression coming  all over me;
respiration became  difficult, my heart  was beating
violently, and I felt a great increase of  temperature."
And of a much later period of the experiment he
writes—" My heart  was beating as fast as ever, and
my temperature was still high.  Eespiration continued
to be difficult." 
         The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.      69

   In Mr.  North's  case1 we observed  the  breathing
and action of  the heart were, on the contrary, calm.
A  pulse tracing  was taken  by Mr.  Victor Horsley,
but there  was nothing  to  indicate  any noteworthy
change in  the circulation.
   Professor Tamburini  has  made careful tracings of
the pulse as well as the respiration.   He  found the
character of  the pulse  Avas unaltered,  but it A\Tas
increased in frequency.
   I may add  that  Mr.  Braid  found the rise in the
pulse from the simple  muscular  effort made  to  keep
the legs and  arms  extended for  fiA^e minutes  to be
about 20 per  cent.,  Avhile in a state  of hypnotism it
Avas 100 per cent.  By rendering  all the  muscles
limber, the pulse, he found,  fell to what it Avas before
the experiment, or even beloAV it.
   Muscles.—M.  Eicher  has made  tracings  of  the
muscular contractions  of the arms in a hypnotized
person  Avho is cataleptic, which shoAV the  difference
between the cataleptically  rigid  arm,  and  one  held
out  by  a  person not   hypnotized.   I  mention  this,
although beside my immediate object, because Avhen
avc tested the  subjects  in this  room  by holding out
our  oaati arms, the  difference  was  not  so great as
might  have  been  expected;  but had  Ave  had  a
myograph at hand the test Avould have  been decisive.
In  fact, the myograph,  the pneumograph, and the
sphygmograph are most valuable  means placed at our
disposal by modern invention for  obtaining trust-
worthy  records  of  the   objective   symptoms  of
hypnotism.
  1 This was  on the occasion of a more recent experiment, at
Mr. Horsley's house, when we carefully observed Mr. X.'s condition
while in the hypnotic  state. 
70      The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

  Mr.  Price, in whom on  one occasion  the  hypnotic
state was slightly induced, particularly  observed the
seeming inability to perform ordinary muscular moAre-
ments.  He thus  describes how he  felt—" On  one
occasion, between twelve  and one at night, after  a
hard  day's  Avork  in  the  wards, one of the  house-
surgeons attempted to hypnotize me.  I Avas  seated in
an arm-chair, and concentrated my whole attention on
the object he held before me.   After some short time
(about five minutes) I felt very sleepy,  and my eye-
lids closed.  I was then  told I could not open them.
I felt myself making every effort to do so, but utterly
failed  for  a short time,  when all  of  a sudden  I
succeeded.   It  seemed to me that all my efforts were
in a wrong direction ;  that  I Avas, in fact, using wrong
muscles—the frontalis in place of the levator palpebrae.
This may seem absurd, but I simply state  here my
own feeling at the time.  On the same occasion I was
told to hold my arms  outstretched in the horizontal
position.   I did so, though  I  felt at  the time that it
Avas quite within  my  power  to refuse.   I  kept my
arms  thus  outstretched  for  about  a minute,  as  I
thought, and then  let  them drop to my side, feeling
very tired.  I was  afterwards told that they were in
the horizontal position  for  more than  five minutes.   I
have thought it worth while  to record this personal
experience of the hypnotic state,  brief as it was."
  Reflex Action.—I need  not insist here  upon the
Avell-known fact  that  reflex actions  are more easily
excited in  animals Avhen  the  cerebral  lobes  are
removed,  and  that, therefore, if Ave assume,  as we
are bound to  do,  that  portions  of  the  cortex are
rendered functionless in hypnotism, and that its control-
ling, inhibiting power is weakened if not suspended__ 
         The  Mental  Condition in Ilyjmotism.       71

it is only natural that rigidity of the muscles shoidd be
easily produced reflexly by sensory stimuli. We were
not,  hoAvever,  prepared to  expect—and Heidenhain
forcibly  points  this out—that the susceptibility con-
tinues for  long  after  the hypnotic  condition  has
passed away.
   Then  there  is a milder  contraction of the  muscles
produced by stroking  or  other mechanical   means,
which I have already referred to  under the term
neuro-muscular hyper-excitability. Charcot and Eicher
have found they can produce  contractions of  isolated
muscles  in  this way  as definitely as Duchenne did
Avith galvanism.  These most  interesting effects have
been photographed, and exhibit various  facial  expres-
sions admirably.
   On the evening Avhen Mr. Hansen experimented in
this room,1 some of you will remember that in  the case
of a boy he produced Avell-marked distortion  of the
mouth by stroking the muscles on  one side Avith his
finger, the boy  being  then  aroused from the hypnotic
state,  though  remaining  abnormally  susceptible  to
reflex action.
   In some  stages  of  hypnotism the subject can bear
Avith   ease  a   very  heavy weight,  owing,  in this
instance, not to the  mental impression  that  a heavy
weight  is a  light one, but to  the rigid contraction
of the muscles.  Thus  Mr. North,  for  example, was
placed with his  head  on  one chair, and his heels
upon another,  and he  says—" I heard Mr.   Hansen

  1 Bethlem Hospital.  As regards  the boys acted upon on this
occasion, it has been thought safer to make scant use of the experi-
ments, and no reliance has been placed upon  their statements.
The farts  stated would be unaffected by the discovery that simula-
tion had been attempted. 
72
The Mental  Condition in Hypwdis/u.
express his  intention  of  sitting on  my legs.    I
remember  Avondering  whether  my  posterior knee-
ligaments Avould  stand  it, and making up my mind
not to interfere,  i.e., to  let my outer self do as it
liked.  I  remember being surprised  Avhen the strain
came, for though probably fifteen stone, it felt like
a large pilloAV, of no weight at  all."
  In a considerable number of cases  I have observed
the tendon-reflexes to be the same as in the waking
state;  in some instances exaggerated.    It  appears
to depend upon  the  particular stage or type.  It is
stated  by Eicher that in the lethargic type they arc
much exaggerated, in the cataleptic type diminished,
and in the somnambulistic type normal.
  Tamburini  and  Seppilli found  the patella-reflex
exaggerated in a case reported by them.
  It  is  difficult to  explain why,  in the supposed
depressed condition of  the hemispheres, the  reflexes
are not exaggerated  in  all these  types.
  The power of co-ordinating movements is  perfect
in the stage  in  Avhich  the  muscles are not  flaccid.
Mr. Braid says of hypnotized persons—" The poAver
of  balancing themselves  is  so  great  that  I have
never  seen  one  of  these  hypnotic somnambulists
fall " (Hypnotism,  or Nervous Sleep, page 56).
  In  the lethargic  state  the body  sinks doAvn,  the
limbs  become  flaccid, hanging down,  and if raised
they fall again heavily.
  In  the  somnambulistic state,  resolution  of  the
limbs is not so marked as in the lethargic state.
   Galvanic Reaction.—I have so feAV observations on
this point that  I  can  make no  general  statement.
In  one  case, hypnotized at  Bethlem Hospital,  Mr.
Lawford, the clinical  assistant, makes the folloAving 
        The Mental  Condition in Hypnotism.      73

note:—" The  muscles  in the  rigid arms of  Mr.
B-----, who Avas fully conscious, reacted to a Faradic
current, much as  in  an ordinary  arm,  and Avith  a
current of 30  cells the rigidity disappeared."
   M. Eicher,  howeArer, has  found  that  gal Agnizing
the  muscles  of  a subject  rendered cataleptic  by
hypnotism  does  not in the least  degree modify  the
nciwous condition.   The  catalepsy  is not affected,
although,  strange  to  say, a  puff  of air  has  usually
an immediate  effect in rendering the muscles flaccid.
   In the case of the  girl at Guy's,1 Mr.  Price  has
found   that  she  readily feels a fairly strong  inter-
rupted  current  Avhen  applied  to   the  tips  of  her
fingers,  and  a  strong  current  very  quickly  wakes
her.

   III.  I  uoav come to the  subjective  symptoms—
those  experienced and described  by  the  hypnotized
person  after  he has  returned  to  his normal mental
condition,  as to his sensations, consciousness, Abolition,
and intellect.
   In considering this  section Ave  must be careful to
bear in mind the very different mental states com-
prised  under  the  term hypnotism.  I have  already
said that  Charcot  and Eicher,  as  also  Tamburini,
recognize  three  grand   types—the  cataleptic,  the
lethargic,  and  the  somnambulistic—although  they
admit  that these classes are  based  upon very hyste-
rical subjects, and that in  ordinary cases they pass
insensibly one into the other,  and  are not nearly so
distinctive  as  these terms indicate.
   Sensation  of pain is, except  in  a very early  stage,
almost  ahvays deadened  or quite  suspended.  Of
                     1 See page 51. 
74      The  Mental Condition  in  J/y/audism.

course, in the case of  any subject in whose veracity
one  did  not  feel  confidence,  one  would  not  draw
any  inference from apparent  insensibility  to pain;
but  there is  ample evidence  of  analgesia  being  in-
duced  by  hypnotism  without  resting on  doubtful
instances.   No one Avould now deny hypnotic  insen-
sibility.
  Mr.  North, in his memoranda,  says—" A pin Avas
plunged into  the  ulnar side of  my hand  nearly  up
to its head.   I heard  the  preparation made to do it.
I felt  the  operation  begin; there Avas hardly any
pain.  It felt simply as though some one was press-
ing an ordinary wooden match, or some blunt instru-
ment,  against my hand.    When  I was  roused I
distinctly  felt pain in  my hand,  and  it  hurt  me
considerably  to  withdraw  the  pin."
  On the second  occasion (see p. 69),  the  muscular
rigidity which we induced  caused  great  pain.  Mr.
North  also says that the light hurt his eyes when I
raised  the lids to examine the pupils.
  In the case of the girl at Guy's, there Avas marked
analgesia,  but she  exhibited  all the  signs of pain
when she was told that the prick of  a pin is painful.
In this way one can produce alternate analgesia, and
hyper-algesia at Avill.
  Tactile Sensibility.—In the early days of mesmerism,
it Avas regarded as a  proof of   the  insensibility  to
pain alleged  to  exist  in  that state being feigned,
that the sense of  touch  was  unaffected.   Now that
the sensation of  pain and tactile sensibility are  shown
to be  physiologically   distinct, the  fact no  longer
excites suspicion or surprise.
  Muscular Sense.—As is  pointed out by M. Eicher,
the  muscular sense may be the  source of automatic 
        The  Mental Condition  in  Hypnotism.       75

movements perfectly co-ordinated, which produce the
action of which  the  position  of the  limbs  is the
image.  For example, the cataleptic patient is made
to stand upon a chair with the hands taking hold of
the folds  of a  curtain, as if climbing  it; immedi-
ately the subject  scales it, or tries  to  do  so.
   Special Senses.—(1.)  As regards the sense of smell.
We  applied  strong  ammonia to  a boy  when  hypno-
tized, and he bore it close to his nostrils for a much
longer  time than any of us  could  bear it;  but at
last  it  aroused  him.  In  regard to another  case, I
cite  from notes kindly made at the time for me by
Mr.  LaAvford, clinical assistant at Bethlem:—"After
being hypnotized  by Mr.  Hansen, he apparently did
not  smell or feel the  ammonia  fumes ; at least he
was  not aroused by them."
   The girl  at Guy's, when tested by Mr.  Price, did
not  recognize the presence of  eau de  Cologne  on a
pocket-handkerchief; and  on other occasions was not
able  to recognize  odours.
   Tamburini and  Seppilli applied spirits of ammonia
to the  nose, Avhen the sleep  Avas profound, Avithout
any  effect.
   In some  states  of hypnotism, on the other hand,
the  vastly  heightened  sensibility  of  the olfactory
nerve is  remarkable.
   There  Avas hyperaesthesia of smell in a  case of M.
Taguet's  (p. 77).  He threw doAvn a number of objects
—gloves, keys, note-books, and  coins—belonging to
different persons present.  After smelling the articles,
the  patient  stopped before each person,  smelt them
also,  and by this sense discovered the OAAmers.
   (2.)  Sight.—In  an  early  stage—one,  hoAvever,
which  may persist  without passing  into  a deeper 
76      The  Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.

one—the  sight  seems to be partially affected.  The
subject appears to see, though  confusedly, that Avhich
is immediately  around him, and Avith  which he  is
in direct relation, but  to  have a  very vague  per-
ception,  or  none  at  all,  of  what  is  beyond  this
range.  Mr.  M----,  the St. Thomas's student,  says
(speaking of  his  experience  of the  early  stage)—
" When  Mr. Hansen asked me  to look at his eyes,
I could not  recognize in him  the same man I had
seen a feAV  minutes before ; his eyes seemed to me
as if they were rays of light thrown  on a prism.
I could  distinctly see  a  play of colours.   Still  I
was  in  my  full  consciousness."   The  clergyman
Avhom I  mentioned  as  being  hypnotized, describes
his  visual  sensations  in very  much the  same Avay.
He  says—" I could see  the  operator's eye becoming
luminous, like a ball of fire,  then annulated,  then
changing  colours."
  To return  to  Mr. M----.  When later on in the
sleep I asked him to Avrite his name,  he did so, and
he informs  me  that  he could  not  see the  letters
distinctly as  he  Avrote them.  At a still later stage,
AArhen Mr. Hansen threw something  on the floor, and
induced Mr. M----to think a baby was drowning  in
the water, the latter,  with his  eyes wide open, threAV
himself down to rescue it; but he  assures me he
could not see anything  AAdiatever at  this time, and
that  he had  then lost his  consciousness.   He may,
however,  have  seen, as  some  sleep-walkers  see,
although  wholly unconscious  of it  Avhen   aroused
from their sleep.   In fact he  must have heard Mr.
Hansen,  and yet cannot remember it  now.
  We  have  seen,  Avith  the  girl at  Guy's Hospital,
that,  Avhen   induced   to A\Tite  a letter,  she wrote 
         The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.       77

better Avhen nothing  Avas  placed between her eyes
and  the paper,  and that when  walking  in  a ward
to AAdiich  she  was  not accustomed she  fell  against
anything that  came  in her  way,  and would have
injured  herself  if  not looked   after.   In her OAvn
Avard she avoided the  objects in her way, just as if
she  were aAvake.
   In a case reported  by M. Ch. Ferd, placing a  pen
in the hand had not the same effect as in the spon-
taneous  somnambulist of  M. Mesnet (p. 24), as  it
soon fell  from  the  subject's grasp;  but  if  while
holding  it words were dictated in a loud voice, they
Avere Avritten,  though  irregularly.   The  name, how-
ever,,Avas Avritten so well that it  was scarcely possible
to distinguish it from the  subject's autograph when
aAA'ake.1
   M. Eicher has observed that  although the eye  of
the  cataleptic  subject  is fixed,  and  appears  to  see
nothing (never quitting the imaginary point to Avhich
he seems  attached), if an object  be placed in the
axis of vision and it is gently oscillated,  the gaze of
the  subject is  soon seen  to  be attracted to  it,  and
able to  follow all  its  movements; the  rest  of  the
body  may remain  cataleptic, but  the eyes  turn  in
all  directions  in  spite of  the experimenter,  and
generally  the  head follows the  movements.
   M. Taguet,  in reporting  to  the Societe  Mklico-
psychologique2 a case  of   "Hypnotism  Avith  hyper-
esthesia of  sight  and smell,"  shows  that in  this
instance   it  Avas  preternaturally  acute.   Objects
placed at  the back of the  forehead, so as to be  out
of the range  of her  sight, but  so  situated as to be
         1 Archives de Xeurologie, No. 16, 1883, p. 127.
     2 Sec Annates Medico-psyclwlogiqnes, Mars, 1884, p. 325. 
 78      The Mental  Condition in  Hypnotism.

 reflected  on a large  card  to which  her  eyes  were
 directed,  were at once  recognized by her as clearly
 as if the card had been a  mirror.
   (3.)  As  regards   hearing,  the  subject  evidently
 hears well whatever  is said to him, though in  some
 instances he appears to hear what the  operator says
 much  better  than what others say,  or  even hears
 no one but the  operator.  The girl  at  Guy's hears
 one  person as Avell as another.  Mr. North says that
 Avhile he Avas placed on two  chairs, his  head on one
 and  his heels  on the  other, he  heard  Mr. Hansen
 express  his  intention  of sitting on  his  legs.   He
 also  heard music  in  the  room.
   Mr.  M---- states  that  he heard  distinctly AA'hat
 Mr.  Hansen said to him.  He heard him ask him
 to open his mouth,  to strike Mr. Hansen's chest, to
 folloAV him, and so  forth.   Speaking  of his condi-
 tion just when he went  off,  he says—" The persons
 around   me,  and the sounds  they  made,  seemed
 distant, and  it was  only when some  unusual sound
 Avas  made that I  took the  trouble to notice it."
   Tamburini and Seppilli state that  they have con-
 stantly  found hyperaesthesia of this  sense even in the
 most profound sleep.   The subjects  heard  the  foot-
 steps of persons approaching the room  in the distance,
 Avhich the experimenters could not perceive.
   (4.) Taste.—This sense seems suspended, and what-
 ever taste is  suggested is  adopted by the  subject.
 With the  girl  at Guy's, her tea tasted like coffee
 when she  thought it was  the latter.1  Heidenhain
observes—" I  could  put hot  pickles in the mouth of
a hypnotized person,  and on  my making masticatory
movements,  he would proceed to  cheAV  them.  Onlv
Sep also p. i~)H, 
        The  Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.      79

on awaking would he perceive  the hot taste" (Animal
Magnetism, p. 15).
  In a  case reported by Tamburini  and Seppilli,
quinine placed on  the tongue produced  unpleasant
sensations in light hypnotic sleep, and no sensation at
all Avhen the sleep was deepened.
  We found that Mr. North tasted plum jam.
  I pass now from the sensations to other mental states ;
and  I  Avould  repeat  that we must recognize  that
very different conditions are comprised under the term
hypnotism, and that to speak of this  or that psychical
character being present in hypnotism Avould be  mis-
leading without this qualification.
   1.  There may be no  unconsciousness AAmatever, and
the  subject may appear \rcry much like other people.
A certain susceptibility to impressions on the mental
side, and to rigidity of the limbs on the physical  side,
may be all that marks the  state of the subject.
   Is it  that  the  cerebral  cortex is just sufficiently
Aveakened  in function to  have lost its  supremacy,
without parting  Avith its more secondary  offices ?
Indeed, the mind may be  so roused  that there seems
no  abnormal mental manifestation whatever, and yet
volition over the reflex  rigidity set  up  by sensory
impressions  on a limb may be suspended.  If it be
asked,  AArhy,  in  ordinary  sleep, when the cortex  is
rendered  so  entirely  functionless, Ave cannot excite
the  same reflex  rigidity?  the answer, I suppose,  is
that the sleep has  extended beyond  the  cortex,  and
involves the  basal ganglia.
   2. Let us take a deeper stage of hypnotism; one in
Avhich there  is decidedly more  alteration in the mental
functions themselves.  The subject  has  more  com-
pletelv lost voluntary control over his  actions and his 
 80      The Mental  Condition  in  Hypnotism.

 trains of thought,  and Avhatever he  is told to  do he
 does  in  obedience  to  the mandates or suggestions of
 the  operator.  Thus,  if  he is asked his name, he
 replies  correctly, articulating  the word  without the
 slightest  difficult}-; but if  he  is  authoritatively  told
 that he cannot possibly do so,  he makes only futile
 efforts to say it.   The question arises,  does he  really
 forget his name, or does he, while  remembering it,
 lose the  power of using his muscles of  articulation,
 from the belief impressed  upon  him that he cannot
 articulate his name ?   It Avould seem rather due to
 the temporary loss of memory of the name, essentially
 similar to the condition of a man Avho,  in a normal state,
 when suddenly  asked some one's name,  especially if
 from any cause nervous at the  time,  clean forgets it,
 and  the  more he struggles  to  recall it, the more he
 becomes embarrassed.  Has no one,  even among the
 medical psychologists whom I  address, whose minds
 are  of  course in an all  but perfect state of mental
 training, ever rung the bell at the door of a  friend's
 house, and in the interval which elapsed between  this
 act and the appearance of the  servant, passed into a
 reverie?  Then, perchance,  having to  remember the
 name of the person upon whom he is  calling, he first
 fears he has forgotten, and then really does forget it,
 to his own discomfiture  and the perplexity of  the
 janitor.
   Those Avho  were present  in  this room during  the
 experiments I have referred to, may  remember how
 a young man of the name of Batt,  although under the
influence  of  Hansen, was resolved to disprove  the
latter's assertion that he could not say his name, how
he made valiant efforts to say  it,  and  did so several
times, but hoAV,  after some ridiculous grimaces, the 
         The Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.      81

 " Batt" first became B, and then only silent gesticula-
 tions  remained  at  his  command.  Although he had
 forgotten  his  oAvn name,  he  at  once  gave  Mr.
 Hansen's  correctly, showing that  his  muscles were
 not  paralyzed.   This  man Avas  not  a  subject  of
 Hansen's,  although he  had been acted  upon by  him
 before ; in fact,  Hansen supposed him to be a medical
 student, which he Avas not.
   The hypnotized person  may, however, not only be
 in this mental state of  temporary amnesia, but he can
 be  also  rendered  unable   to  use  his articulating
 muscles.   There  is complete  temporary  paresis of
 these  or any muscles the operator chooses  to impress
 upon  the  subject's mind  he cannot use.   Darwin's
 success in  rendering several persons  unable to sneeze
 after  actually taking  snuff,  is  an illustration of a
 parallel condition.
   In  a subject who has passed completely into  this
 deeper stage of lrypnotism,  what is his condition as
 regards  consciousness ?  Mr. North, in his graphic
 manner, says, when speaking of a period after he was
 decidedly affected by looking at the  disc—" I was not
 unconscious, but I seemed  to exist in duplicate.   My
 inner self appeared to be thoroughly alive to all that
 was going on, but made up its  mind not to control or
 interfere with the  acts of  the outer self; and  the
 unwillingness or inability of the inner self  to control
 the outer seemed to  increase the longer the condition
 Avas  maintained."
   At  a  later stage Mr. North says—" I  am told  I
 spoke  German to Mr. Hansen,  and  Avas not compli-
mentary in my remarks.   I should not like to say
Avhether I  was  conscious of what  I did,  or no.  I
think  I  Avas  somewhat,"   At a  still later stage he
                                             G 
82      The  Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.

gays—»Here I  appear to have  been absolutely  un-
conscious for some moments."
  There may be, Ave see, from the above description
by Mr.  North, a duplicate  or  divided consciousness,
which  brings out  in strong relief one feature of the
singular mental  condition  in  hypnotism.  As  Dr.
Bastian  intimates  in  his  book, The Brain as  an
Organ  of Mind,  the wonder is that with  our two
brains,  presenting as  they  do  marked differences in
their convolutions on  either side, we are not  ahvays
conscious of a dual being.
  That  duplicate  consciousness is by no means  un-
common with the insane patient is certain; and this is
closely  associated with  the  confused sense  of his
relation to his former self, ending at last in a complete
loss  of  personal identity, as in the case  of a  patient
several  years ago  in Bethlem  Hospital, who,  having
lost himself—i.e., the self he was most familiar Avith
—used  to  seek for himself under the  bed.
  We cannot for a moment suppose that  this division
of consciousness in regard to ideas takes place betAveen
the cerebral hemispheres on the one hand, and the
lower  ganglia on  the  other.   It  must  be  either
between the  two  halves of the brain,  or different
centres  in  the entire  cortex.   The  subject  in  hyp-
notism  and  the  lunatic may  be conscious  of the
reflex  action of  the  hemispheres—that is  to say,
of  involuntary ideation; but when the  subject is
conscious  of the   action  of the  lower  ganglia, it
has  only reference to  movements and actions.   Mr.
North's conclusion on  his own case in this particular
is—"That  the  loss  of consciousness  is  apparent
rather than  real; and,"  he adds, "I cannot better
express my meaning than by describing my condition 
         The Mental 11oialitiou in Hypnotism.      S3

as  one in  Avhich the  subject  is  conscious  that  he
is playing the fool, and his superior self looks on,
conscious of the absurdity of the actions or words,
but at the same  time  either unable or unwilling to
control them."
   Mr.  North gives, as an  illustration, that he re-
members  Mr. Hansen trying to suggest rats to him,
and that  he (Mr.  N.) repeated the Italian  for  rat,
" Topo, Topo," several times.   " I  knew  perfectly
well,"  says  Mr. North,  "that  I  was doing so,  and
that  I Avas  playing  the  fool, i.e.,  that my  outer
self  was  doing  so, the inner  self  looking on,  too
idle to interfere."   I may add  that the  Italian  Avas
suggested to Mr. North's mind by the fact  that the
previous day he had been reading some Italian fables
about rats in the Italian class at  University College.
   The same splitting up of our consciousness  occurs
in  the closely allied state  of dreaming,   and is well
illustrated by  Avhat occurred  to  a friend  of  mine
several years ago  when in Switzerland.   After  an
Alpine climb of nearly twenty hours, he  arrived one
night  at  an inn,  AA'here  he  Avas unable  to  procure
a .bed.   He had to sleep  in the bureau,  and  Avas
constantly disturbed.  He was  also suffering intense
thirst,  and had to get up  from  the  sofa  to  drink
water every few minutes.   When he  shut  his eyes,
innumerable visions passed  before  him  associated
Avith  water.   At  last  he  slept and  dreamt.   His
ordinary  occupations when  at  home  now suggested
part of the dream.   He dreamt he Avas  mad.   He had
all  arranged that  he should be conveyed  to Bethlem
Hospital,  but  he says one  idea was  that it would
be  a  simpler  thing  to die.   Whether this was
suggested by one half of the brain I do not know,
                                            a 2 
84      The  Mental Condition in Hypwdism.

but one  self asked the other self, " What will you
die of?"   He says the only ansAver that could be
found  Avas that arising out  of  his  thirst.   " Water
on the brain  or serous apoplexy/'   The  other self
responded, "Agreed."  "And," says my  informant,
" in my dream I died.   The malignant part of myself
rubbed its hands  and said, ' Well noAV, avc'11 have a
post-mortem,'" and a  post-mortem Avas  made.  He
saw his own  calvarium removed, and the discovery
made that there was no brain at all, only a miserable
bag  of membranes.   In  consequence  he  realized
(he says) for the  first time, " Avhat  a SAvindle he
had been  all  his life! "
  Mr. M----, of St. Thomas's, retained his conscious-
ness  during  the  greater  part of the time he  was
hypnotized.    " I  knew perfectly what  was going
on,"  he AATites; "but at  the beginning of the  fifth
experiment  I lost  all  my  consciousness.   I  don't
know what my operator did or said,  except I remem-
ber he asked me to  nurse a baby  which  had been
ill-used and was  crying, and when he told me that,
I began to  hear  distinctly  the  cries of  the baby,
but on awaking from  my state and told  all that I
had  been doing, I could not  believe it, as I had
not the slightest  idea of it."
   I now  come to speak of volition.
   There  is obviously no spontaneity in  the subjects
of hypnotism.
   Sir William Hamilton observes that while we are
wholly unable to conceive a being possessed of feeling
and desire,  and at  the same time  ignorant of any
object  upon  which his affections  may be  employed,
and unconscious  of these  affections themselves, we
can conceive  a being possessed of  the  power  of 
         The Mental  Condition in  Hypnotism.      85

recognizing existence, and yet Avholly devoid of all
feeling  of pain  and pleasure,  and of all  powers of
desire   and  volition.   That  AA'hich  Avas  merely  a
conception Avith  Hamilton  is  actually witnessed in
an  early  stage of  Irypnotism.
  Hoav completely  volition may be  suspended,  and
the  subject  become  a  mere automaton,  is  shoAAm,
and most graphically described by both Mr.  M----
and Mr.  North.
  The former Avrites, referring to his mental condition
after entering  the  hypnotic  state—" I tried  to  get
out  from this  state, but  my efforts Avere A'ain.   I
felt it  AAras too late, and  I saAV  that  I Avas entirely
at  the  mercy  of  my operator.  I  then  felt a  sort
of dull feeling, and  saAV that it Avas now  out of my
poAver to use my OAvn will.   Mr. Hansen  first shut
my mouth, and asked me to try  and open it  again."
(I  must  add  that  Mr.  Hansen  at  the  same  time
assured Mr.  M----  that he could not do so.)   " But
it Avas utterly impossible  for me  to do  it.   I felt
that all the muscles  concerned in this act were in
a  state  of  rigor.    In  the  second  experiment he
asked  me to strike his  chest.  I succeeded the  first
time, but  afterwards  I felt my  arm repelled  from
him.   I kneAV  that he was near  enough to me,  but
still each time  my  hand Avas  about a couple of inches
from his  chest, it was pushed backwards  by a power
much beyond  my  strength."   It  will be  seen  that
]\ir> M-----'s  complete  subjection  to Mr. Hansen
led  him  to  conclude that  there was an  objective
force influencing  him, whereas the real interpretation
of the phenomenon is a  purely subjective  one, viz.,
that he believed he could  not  strike  Mr. Hansen,
and therefore  could  not,  his brain  being reduced 
86      The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

to the peculiar condition brought about by hypnotism.
The same  explanation appears to apply to the next
experiment.   Mr.  M----  proceeds—" Mr. Hansen
ordered me to  follow  him.   I tried to  remain  in
my place,  but Mr.  H. had such an  influence over
me  that I felt  dragged after  him.    I  felt a  great
power  was attracting  me  to  the operator."    The
next experiment is particularly interesting, as shoAving
how completely  a hypnotized person may  have lost
his  control and  passed  into a  state  of  automatism,
and  yet not believe the  fact  insisted  upon  by the
operator as the  reason for performing  a  particular
act.  The  act is performed because  the  actor cannot
help performing  it; he is  an automaton.   Mr. M----
says—" In the fourth  experiment Mr.  Hansen told
me  that my hair was  on  fire.  I touched my head
and  saAV that he was  Avrong.  He then told  me  to
put  my head  in  cold  water,  directing me at the
same time to a  gas burner.  I felt it was not water.
I felt  the heat, but yet  I could not  refuse putting
doAATi my head  and trying to  Avash it."
  The  clergyman whom I saw  hypnotized, and who
Avrote doAATi for me a description of  his  sensations,
experienced  the  same feeling as Mr.  M-----, and
interprets it in the same  sense.   He writes—" The
attracting and repelling the subject Avas  a  very suc-
cessful  experiment.   I could  describe  it only as a
gentle poAver  drawing  or repelling the body.   For
stopping the  speech the operator  must  have formed
a battery  betAveen the jaws.  It Avas but  feeble, but
sufficiently strong to make it pleasanter to let them
remain shut  than to try  to open them."
   But although the Avill  is  so  strikingly subject  to
the  operator,  there  appears to be a  limit, for eA'en 
        The Mental  Condition in  Hypnotism.      87

Avith the  girl at Guy's, who  did almost everything
told her, Ave could not induce her to drink  a  cup of
tea Avhen it was suggested that it Avas brandy.   Mr.
Hansen declares that a fine moral sense  survives the
suspension of the higher intellectual functions.
   Under  the head of "Automatism at Command,"
Heidenhain relates  how he made his brother, Avhen
hypnotized, do many  things he  certainly Avould not
haAre  done  Avhen awake.   Thus, a  glass containing
ink Avas giAren him, and it  Avas suggested to him  (or
rather he Avas requested) to drink  some beer.  He
began to drink the  ink  at  once.   When ordered to
thrust his hand into a flame he did so.   Lastly, " he
so unmercifully  cut off with scissors his  whiskers,
Avhich he had assiduously cultivated for a year, that
on awaking he  was greatly enraged."  This  was
rather hard lines for the poor brother,  I  must  say,
but  then  it  Avas  in  the  cause   of   science—and
hypnotism.
   Susceptibility to Suggestions.—Of the characteristics
of the mental condition in hypnotism,  this extreme
susceptibility to outside  suggestions  is most  sur-
prising.   The  individuality of the  hypnotic  subject
being  deleted  for  the time, he represents the logical
consequence of  the organization of men  in society
Avho are practically will-less, who are at  the mercy of
every  suggestion, however absurd, and every crotchet,
hoAvever wild and unpractical.  This ideoplastic state
finds its analogue also among the actually insane, the
tATant of  their organization—that  which  tyrannizes
over their thoughts  and lives—being some  fixed  idea
or a disordered perceptive  centre, or in the absence of
these,  the unwholesome susceptibility to  the influence
of others, as in  the case  of the unstable hysterical 
88      The Mental Condition in Ilyjmotism.

girl  who  adores every  curate  she  meets Avith,  and
would  Avillingly do anything he tolls her to  do.
  The effect of  suggestions made to the girl at Guy's
Hospital is strikingly exhibited  in  the report of the
case of  E. H. (page  51).   On the idea being  sug-
gested to  her that her hands were  being  cut  off,
nothing could induce her to use her fingers.   She
used the hand as a stump.   Mr. Price has attempted,
after waiting a short time, to catch her  unawares, by
asking her to hold or pick up something, but without
success.   Frequently he has found, however, that the
effect of  a command  of any kind  wears off before
many minutes.
  The influence of  suggestion  in  inducing a state of
ecstasy is so  well marked, that if  an artist were to
wish to have before  him a  study of an ecstatic, he
could not do better,  from an art standpoint,  than
hypnotize his model, and induce the  beatific vision,
which elevates and  refines the expression in so won-
derful a manner.
  Hallucinations are,  indeed, so easily  induced,  that
hypnotism offers  a  wide field for illustrating the
analogous conditions familiar to us in mental diseases.
I cannot enter  in  detail on  this  tempting aspect of
the subject noAv;1  a few words must suffice.
  The  hallucinations induced  during  the hypnotic
sleep may continue for some time after  the subject is
awake, just as contraction of a  muscle will sometimes
persist  for hours  after the sleep  has  passed away.
Further, the  delusion created by the operator  may be
retained in some instances  afterwards.   The localized
cerebral impression survives in  spite  of  the  return of
  1 See paper on " Artificial Insanity," Journal of Mental Science,
July, 1865. 
        The Mental  Condition in  Hypnotism.      89

the intellectual functions, and of the subject's having
regained possession of his senses and consciousness,
so as to appear in these respects  as  fully himself  as
before the  experiment.  Yet  the person does not the
less persist in rambling on  the one point in relation
to the hallucination or delusion.
   Thus a  person,  to cite an  actual  example of a
woman at  the  Salpetriere, described to me  by M.
Eicher, Avill continue to see a bird of which the image
has been evoked during the hypnotic  sleep.   Upon
any  other  subject  her intelligence and her  special
senses are not in fault, but in  spite of the  assertions
of those around her, she maintains that there is really
a  bird there, that  she sees  it, that she touches  it,
Avith  so profound  a conviction, that to her it seems
that  all who assert the contrary are only  mocking
her.   This  cerebral impression may persist for some
time, but it is gradually effaced.  It disappears along
with  the delusion with which it Avas associated.   It
is then curious  to  see  this patient  try  and find  out
how  the  bird has disappeared, and inquire Avhether
she has not been the sport of a dream, Avithout, how-
ever, being able to explain to her satisfaction Avhat
has happened.
   It  has been shown  by  M. Ch.  Fere* that these
hallucinations   are  so  real,  and  are   so  definitely
referred by the  subject  to  the particular spot indi-
cated  by   the  operator, that  AAmen  a  portrait  is
impressed upon the mind, and associated, for example,
with the surface of a table, and the patient is awaked,
the image is masked by placing an  object  upon this
spot,  or  if  the  suggestion made by the  experimenter
attaches it to a sheet  of cardboard, reversing  the
latter  prevents the subject  seeing the  imagined por- 
 90      The Mental Condition  in Hyjnadixm.

 trait, and  turning it upside doAvn has a corresponding
 effect upon his  perception of  the  face.   So  again,
 lateral  pressure of the  eyeball,1 or placing  a  prism
 before  the subject's eye,  causes  diplopia, as  Avould
 happen were he looking at a  real object.  Hallucina-
 tions of smell, hearing, and taste are  as remarkable,
 and Avhat is  of most interest to psychologists, may
 persist  after  the subject is aroused,  for they bear
 directly upon the nature of the  hallucinations  of the
 insane,  as insisted  on  in the article  AAdiich  I  Avrote
 about tAvcnty  years  ago, scarcely daring  to  hope at
 that  time  that  such  additional  proofs would  be
 afforded  of  this  connection,  and  that  many able
 physicians Avould pursue the inquiry.   At the period
 referred to, it was difficult to induce any  one to take
 an intelligent interest in the subject  of hypnotism, or
 to admit that it might  throw  light  upon  psychology
 and physiology.
   I have seen a lady when hypnotized presented Avith
 a  number of  strips of broAvn  paper, the  idea  being
 suggested  to  her at the  same time that they  were
 flowers.   Of these she at once made a  nosegay, and
 smelt them frequently, as if enjoying their fragrance.
 As when  she  was  aroused,  she was  wholly uncon-
 scious of what had occurred, there  was  no means of
 ascertaining whether she  fancied at the time  that she
 smelt the  imaginary nosegay or not,  or whether the
 action of putting it  to  her nose was the automatic
 motor action  arising from the idea organically linked
 with it.
   Similar automatic  actions or changes  of facial ex-

  1 M. P. Despine made the same observation  in a man affected
with spontaneous somnambulism with ecstasy and hallucinations.
 See his Etude Scientifique sur le Somnambulisme, 1880, page 328. 
         The Mental  Coalition in Hypnotism.      91

pression can be induced Avithout  a word being uttered
by the operator, simply by directing the look in parti-
cular directions calculated to excite ideas associated with
the position of certain muscles, or again, by the silent
gestures of  the operator.   I have seen this to perfec-
tion in  some persons recently operated on in London,
and M.  Eicher1 has made a series  of experiments  of
this kind.   Thus he finds that AA'hen  the look is directed
upwards the expression becomes  radiant, and  there are
sometimes signs of a gay hallucination ; when, on the
contrary, the  look is directed downwards, the expres-
sion is  sombre,  and there  may be indications of  a
terrible hallucination.  Under the  influence  of hallu-
cinations thus provoked, the cataleptic  state may cease
completely,  and the subject walk about and follow the
object upon which the  look is directed, assuming atti-
tudes in relation  to the hallucination which may have
been suggested.   But when the fixed object is rapidly
withdrawn  from  the field  of vision,  the  eye imme-
diately  resumes  its  original fixity, and  the general
cataleptic condition returns in all its force.  A gesture
on the  part of the operator is servilely obeyed by the
cataleptic.   Upon a sign  given by  the  finger,  the
subject, Avithout opposing the slightest resistance, rises,
sits doAvn, lies on the  ground, rises again, walks, and
stands still.
   There  are  other  phenomena of  automatism which
are more complex, and  require for their production the
unconscious operation of the memory.   If the eye be
directed to  anything whose use is knoAvnto the subject,
the  cataleptic almost immediately  emerges from this
condition, in order  to proceed  in  some  degree  irre-
  i The illustrations which follow  have  been kindly communicated
by him to the writer. 
!>2
The Menial Condilam in Hypnotism.
 sistibly  to  the act for which the object is intended.
 With patients susceptible to this mode of automatism
 (for all  are not) the experiment has been Auried in a
 thousand Avays at the  Saltpetriere,  and has always
 yielded  the same  results.  A bonnet is placed in  the
 hands of the  subject ; she  turns it about  Avith  her
 fingers,  and soon  places it  upon her head.  If next
 a  jacket is  giA^en her,  immediately she dresses and
 buttons  it carefully ;  or a glass, she drinks; a broom,
 she sweeps; fire-tongs,  she goes at once to  the  fire4,
 takes off the wood or coals, then puts them back; an
 umbrella, she opens it,  and  seems  to  feel the storm,
 for she  shivers.   What happens if the  object placed
 in her hands is suddenly removed ?   Why,  she imme-
 diately becomes  cataleptic.
   There is no doubt  that by being frequently hypno-
 tized, a person more readily performs certain acts; his
 muscles more readily  contract, and so forth,  although
 he  is unconscious, and  is not intentionally  improving
 upon previous exhibitions.   As  M.  Eicher points  out,
 such  a phenomenon,  so  far  from  being a  proof  of
 trickery, is but an illustration of organic memory.1
   That the higher centres exercise their functions to
 a certain extent in some stages of hypnotism is doubt-
 less  true,  notwithstanding their depressed  condition.
 The hypnotized  person,  Avho is told his hair is  in
 flames, and convinces himself, by putting his hand to

  1 " Hypnotism offers," observes M. Richer, " the most remark-
able example, if I am not  mistaken, of  organic memory. Certain
modifications,  introduced into the nervous  system, are preserved
there, and are reproduced  without  any participation  of the con-
sciousness.   With the exception  of one particular  (absence of
consciousness), the resemblance between the two memories,  the
organic and the psychological, is perfect " {Letter to the Writer). 
        The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.      9:]

it, that this is not the case, performs a mental process;
in fact, Avorks out a syllogism, hoAvever simple it may
be.   Mr. North, again, Avhile hypnotized, began  to
Avalk backwards, upon which a gentleman said to him,
"Mr. North,  can  you not walk forwards?"   This
led to a distinct, though very simple, use of the logical
faculty.   " I  remember," says Mr. North, " arguing
out in my mind, wearily, that it followed from this
that I was walking backwards."
   We asked  Mr. North, when hypnotized (the second
time), some  simple questions  in arithmetic.  When
asked to subtract, he added.   He says—" I half under-
stood the questions, but felt too  lazy to do more than
the easy  operation  of  addition.   The  question you
asked as to 100 and 25 Avas very confused.  I seemed
to see the figure 100  thus:—100ooooo25."   When
going off, Mr. North's  ideas Avere in  some  respects
intensified.  He says—" I tried to realize the features
of several persons  in whose company I  had been  on
the previous eA^ening,  and  succeeded in  producing a
most vivid impression of three or four of them.  Minute
details seemed almost tangible."   The features of a
little  girl  were exquisitely distinct.  In fact,  what
struck him most  in going off,  was that instead  of
passing into oblivion, as in ordinary sleep, he passed
into one of greater mental intensity.
   3.  I pass on now to a different and a deeper stage of
hypnotism—that to which  the term somnambulistic
should  be applied—one in which there is complete
unconsciousness  of  what is passing  around,  and the
subject on being aroused remembers nothing of what
has occurred during this sleep-waking state, for waking
as well  as sleeping it is, since the subject responds to
questions, can write letters, can eat and drink, scav Avell 
91      The  Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.

(if a woman), and can  Avalk about, though not  ahvays
AA'ith safety. She may also be completely under the in-
fluence of the operator, but is not able, as the subjects
of the earlier stage are, to attempt to  oppose his man-
dates ;  in  fact, she has no Avish in the matter.  A very
good example of this condition of artificial somnam-
bulism is  seen in the girl at Guy's Hospital.   When
I saAV her in this state she Avas made to do almost Avhat-
ever Ave suggested.   She could be rendered stone deaf,
and the curious fact here was that although she did not
appear to hear Avhat we said to her, the moment Ave
said, " Now you can hear," she was released from the
spell.  How could  she, when she was  deaf, hear us say
that she could hear?  This, which appeared at first
sight almost  a suspicious  circumstance, is really con-
sistent with what we are maintaining to be the mental
condition  of  a hypnotized subject.  The  girl  was not
really deaf, as regards sounds, but only believed herself
to be deaf, and believing herself to be deaf heard only
Avhen she  thought she could hear.
  We  gave this girl her tea during the time  she was
hypnotized, the tea being changed, through suggestion,
into coffee, and her bread and butter into cake.  After
she was roused she was quite unconscious of  having
had it—her visceral sensations not sufficing to  inform
her that she had had her tea as usual.
  A similar experience occurred to M. Lasegue (whose
able extempore discourse at the International Medical
Congress  in 1881  will not be forgotten by those who
heard it)  at the Necker Hospital, Paris.   He begged
a young female patient, whom he  had  hypnotized, to
dine while in the artificial sleep.  Her family had that
day sent her a plate of roast beef, with which  she was
much delighted.   She ate  her favourite  dish with 
The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.      95
great relish, and said she should be very glad if she
could  ahvays enjoy her meal  as much.   She was
aroused from the sleep in the  midst of her enjoyment,
and her eyes were at once turned to her beloved beef.
Great were her surprise and vexation to find the plate
empty, and when she was  convinced she had dined
in her  sleep, her eyes moistened,  and she  bitterly
reproached  the  doctor  for  having  preArented her
tasting her  food.
  An ophthalmic surgeon (the late Mr. Critchett) had
a patient suffering from glaucoma, who, for two  years
and a half before her  death, was  fed  Avhile rendered
unconscious by hypnotism—and then only.   She had
no  remembrance of having  taken  food,  and  even
solemnly asserted that she  had not done so.
  It  would  seem probable, if not  certain,  that the
hypnotized person,  unless perhaps when  he is  in a
profound sleep, receives the  sensory impressions  made
upon his brain, but that in his condition of reverie  or
abstraction he does not consciously recognize them, and
therefore does  not  remember them.   It  will  often
happen that the subject, who  cannot after  waking
recall  Avhat  he has done,  has  the  scene  brought
suddenly to  his mind subsequently,  just as happens
to ourselves  in regard to dreams; showing in  both
instances that the impression has been registered  in
the cortical perceptive centres,  although not consciously
perceived.   With the  hypnotized, the powerful con-
centration of the attention  diverts the thoughts and
ideas into one channel  to the exclusion of  others.
  The  influence of sensory  impressions in  causing
responsive movements in a hypnotized subject when he
appears perfectly unconscious,  and on waking says, and
no doubt says truly,  that his mind is a complete blank 
 90      The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

 as to the past, was Avell shown in a boy I recently saw
 hypnotized.1   He repeated automatically everything
 said to him ; he moved wherever the' person Avho Avas
 en rapport Avith him moA'ed, and in short Avas  an echo
 of everything  said and done.   Although illiterate, he
 repeated Greek or German lines when  they were  said
 to him, and so on.  But nothing happened, of course,
 if anything was interposed between his senses and the
 external stimulus.  I may  add that on one  occasion
 this automatic mimic could not be  roused, and  the
 operator was unable to escape from his echo or shadow
 till  four o'clock  next  morning,  when   the   former
 exclaimed  in despair, " Well, I shall go to sleep."  The
 subject  responding,  " Well,  I  shall  go   to  sleep,"
 remained quietly  in the  chair,  and appears  to have
 really passed into  ordinary sleep.
   It must  be observed that the loss of will and the loss
 of consciousness are not equally suspended, for the loss
 of consciousness may be slight, while the loss  of will-
 power is complete.
   It must be remembered that consciousness is  an
 accident, so to speak, not an  essential element in all
 our  mental acts.    For the exercise  of  volition  as
 ordinarily  understood, consciousness is no doubt  re-
 quired, but the converse is not  true, for we see there
 may be consciousness without volition, both in paralysis
 and in hypnotism.  Again,  although the cerebral cortex
 is essential  to consciousness, the perceptive centres of
 the cortex may be  called into action without conscious-
 ness.  In the girl at Guy's we must suppose that not
 merely the basal ganglia Avere in function, but that her
 speech centre, her  graphic and other perceptive centres,
  1 I am indebted to Professor Barrett, of Dublin, for the oppor-
tunity of seeing this case. 
         The Mental  Condition in Hypnotism.      97

were so also.  It is not, therefore, merely a question of
the cortex of the hemispheres as a whole,  on the one
hand, and the ganglia at the base of  the brain on the
other,  but of different localized  areas in  the  hemi-
spheres  themselves as Avell.   The  reflex action of
the  cortex,  apart from  consciousness,  as  insisted
upon  by Professor Laycock, is as great  a  fact as
the reflex action of  the basal ganglia, the medulla
and the cord.
   In  addition then to the  perceptive centres of the
cerebral cortex which may be unaffected by hypnotism,
there may be, as Ave haAe seen, certain mental functions
in operation, although the will is abrogated.
   An  able French writer  on hypnotism in the Revue
Phihsophique (M. Ch. Eichet)1 brings this out  Arery
strongly,  and observes that all  is not said when one
pronounces the word  " automatism,", and compares the
hypnotized person to  the pigeon of Flourens deprived
of its  brain, and plunged into a dreamless sleep, "for
the somnambulist has a perfect memory, a  Arery lively
intelligence, and an imagination which constructs the
most complex hallucinations."  If this be a someAvhat
exaggerated  description, no doubt in some instances
there  is,  along  Avith  depression  of  the will,  exalta-
tion of ideas—in some cases, of the memory of long
past  events; and therefore there must be  a  certain
functional activity of the cerebral cortex, at the time
Avhen the Avill is suspended;  in other words, avc have
the reflex cerebral  action of  Laycock  along  with
organic memory;  but the French physiologist appears
to be unaware of Laycock's doctrine, and announces as
ncAV that "we  must  admit, side by side with somatic
     1 Revue Philosopliique (Eibot), Xov. 1880, page 478,
                                             H 
98       The Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

automatism,  a psychical  automatism.   As  there are
reflexes  of the medulla oblongata,  so there are also
cerebral, psychical, reflexes." a
   I have on  a former occasion referred to  Laycock's
theory of the  condition of the encephalic  ganglia in
mesmeric sleep,  AAThere he points out that  the  great
fact common to it and allied states is that the 'will and
consciousness are suspended, and the brain is placed
in the condition of the true spinal or reflex system,
recognizing  here  tAVO  functionally  opposite condi-
tions  as simultaneously  present—the suspension  or
negation of certain, that is the highest cerebral  func-
tions, and the unantagonized positive reflex  action of
others.   As  Hughlings Jackson justly  observes on
this opinion—" If attention be too much  taken up
Avith the words  'odyle,'  'mesmerism,' and 'electro-
biology,' the  reader may  overlook the fact that,  hoAV-
eArer nonsensical be the  doctrines those words cover in
the mind of  the populace, the sentence quoted [from
Laycock] shows  a  broad  principle of  great value in
the investigation and classification of disease;  that
there is a reduction to a more automatic condition, or,
in other Avords, there is a duplex condition, negative
and positive."2
  Brown-S^quard holds that in the  combined diminu-
tion and augmentation of  nervous power—the inhibi-
tion and the  dynamogenesis—which occur in artificial
somnambulism from  peripheral  impressions, there is
not simply a  displacement of force, for they are  not
always  equipollent.  By   "genesis"  Brown-Sequard
does not  mean to  imply  the  production  of force or

      1 Op. cit. page 480.
      2 Tlie Medical Press  and Circular, April 20, 1881. 
         The Mental  Condition in Hypnotism.      99

activity,  but the  transformation or augmentation of
force already present.1
   Those who have read Heidenhain's book on hypno-
tism, knoAV  that  he  holds  that the  cause  of  the
phenomena  of hypnotism lies in the inhibition of the
activity of  the ganglion cells  of the cerebral cortex,
by prolonged stimulation of  the  sensory nerves of the
face, or the  auditory or optic nerve.
   There  appears  to be  nothing  in the  views  held
by the highest authorities on  inhibition,2 against the
possibility of a sensory nerve inhibiting the supreme
centres, and Laycock's doctrine Avould fit in  with this
mode of producing arrest of volition  as well as any
other;  but  if  Ave suppose,  as  we  certainly are  at
liberty  to  do,    that  certain   higher  centres  are
rendered inactive  simply because they are exhausted,
the result as to loss of controlling power is the same.
   " It will be found," says Mr.  Braid, "that all  the
organs  of special  sense, excepting sight,  including
heat, and cold,  and  muscular  motion  or resistance,
and certain mental faculties,  are  at  first prodigiously
exalted.....After  a  certain  point, however, this
exaltation  of function  is  followed  by a  state  of
depression  far  greater  than the torpor of  natural
sleep " (Neurypnology, page 29).
   I agree  with Mr. Eomanes in the observation he
makes  in  his preface  to Heidenhain's  book,  that
''the truth  appears to be that  in  hypnotism Ave are
approaching a completely  new  field of  physiological
research,  in the cultivation  of  AA'hich our  previous
  1  Recherches E.rperimentales et Cliniques sur VInhibition et la
Dyn amogenih, 1882.
  2  In this  connection, see the able papers on "Inhibition," in
Yature by Dr.  Lauder Brunton, March 3, et seq. 1883.
                                            H 2 
100     The  Mental Condition in Hypnotism.

knoAvledge of inhibition  may properly  be taken  as
the starting-point.  But further than this we- must
meanwhile be content to collect  facts merely as facts;
and  without attempting  to  strain  these  facts  into
explanations  derived  from  our knowledge  of  less
complex nervous actions, we must patiently wait until
explanations Avhich avc can feel  to  be adequate1  may
be found to arise" (p. xii.).
  To sum up the chief points relative to the mental
condition present in hypnotism:—
  1. There may be consciousness during the state  of
hypnotism, and  it  may  pass rapidly or slowly  into
complete unconsciousness, as in the somnambulistic
state ;  the manifestations  not being dependent upon
the presence or absence  of  consciousness, which  is
merely  an  epiphenomenon.
  2. Yoluntary control over the  thoughts and actions
is suspended.
  3. The  reflex  action,  therefore,  of  the cerebral
cortex  to suggestions from  without, so  long as  any
channel of  communication is open, comes into play.
  4. While consciousness is  retained, the  perception
of reflex  or automatic  cerebral action conveys the
impression that there are two Egos.
  5. Some of the mental functions, as  memory and
imagination, may be exalted, and there may be vivid
hallucinations and delusions,  which may persist after
Avaking.
  6. Unconscious  reflex  mimicry  may  be  the  only
mental  phenomenon  present,  the  subject copying
minutely  everything said  or  done by  the  person
Avith whom he  is  en rapport.
  7. Impressions  from without may  be  blocked  at
different points in the encephalon  according  to the 
         The Mental  Condition in Hypnotism.     101

areas affected and the completeness with which they
arc  hypnotized;  thus an  impression  or suggestion,
Avhether by gesture  or word or muscular stimulus,
may take the round of the basal  ganglia only, or may
pass to the  cortex, and  having reached the cortex
may excite ideation and reflex muscular  actions, Avith
or without consciousness, and Avholly independent  of
the will.
   8. There may be in different states of hypnotism,
the  opposite conditions of  exaltation and depression
of sensation and the special senses.
                POSTSCEIPT.

In the foregoing pages I have referred to tAVO obser-
vations made on Mr. North.  In a third,1 Mr. Horsley
took notes  of the phenomena, and for their use I am
indebted to  him.
  As there  was headache and other discomfort subse-
quently, it was thought  undesirable  to repeat the
process.
  In the third,  as indeed in  the previous trials, Mr.
North found  he could succeed best  by fixing his
attention on a  prominent point to begin with, and
then dAvelling on the chain of ideas  Avhich were suc-
cessively called up by association in his cortex cerebri.
  A  bright  metal  circular  tambour  was  placed
between his toes.   He gazed at  this steadily, and
from  seeing the brightest point,  "imagined" he saAV
successive bright rings, and then gradually formed the
  1 Undertaken at  the special request of the Psychical Research
Society. 
102    The Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.

lines  of  faces  familiar  to  him,  and  those which
belonged  to  people  whom he  had  met  at  a supper
party a few nights before, and  one face  in particular,
of an  intimate  friend.   This  latter  form  remained
clearly  defined in his  mind  until it gradually faded
into a dim, cloudy haze, which Avas folloAved by semi-
unconsciousness.  In this state he replied incompletely
to questions addressed  to him for some time, and then
gradually became rigid, in which condition the un-
consciousness appeared to become deeper, and he took
no notice  of what was  said, although he probably for-
mulated a dim consciousness  of the meaning.  In the
rigid stage he developed severe muscular contractions,
and from  this state  he could only be roused by cold
douche, etc.
   The post  spasmodic stage was  one of exhaustion,
in which  he gradually recovered consciousness,  com-
plained of thirst and  sometimes  aching  pain (once
very seA^ere) in the muscles that had been contracted.
   This  experiment  was made  under  unfavourable
conditions,  as   Mr.  North  had   greatly   exerted
himself during the  day,  getting diagrams, sending
off things by post, etc.   After arriving  at the room1
where  the  trial was  made, and  talking to  several
people for some time, he sat still in a chair for twenty
minutes.^  The pulse^was 80,  at  times  rather more
frequent than at others ; force  regular.   Eespirations
16 ;  thoracic as well  as abdominal.   Pupils 5 mm.
re-acting to light.
  Experiment commenced at       ...     9.18  p.m.
  Limbs  relaxed    ...     ...     ...     9.21
  Eespiration 30 (initial symptom)...     9.21   ,,
             24    .........     9.28   „
  Muttering German.  Pupil 5 mm...    9.33   ,,
              1 Dean's Yard, Westminster. 
The Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.     10o
  Slight analgesia. Pin-prick steadily
     pressed, apparently not felt    ...    9.36 p.m.
  lie Avas asked  three  times  six,  re-
     plied " Novo," 1  and Avhen asked
     again replied " Credo nove "  ...    9.40   ,,
  Leg  fell  off  chair; half  aAVoke.
     Asked 2 x 20, replied 40.  Asked
     7x35,  replied  " Quaranta  due "    9.48   ,,
  Pulse 76   ............   10.15   „
  Insensitive  to  hard pressure of  pin   10.18   ,,
  Asked where  he was.  Said,  "Lass  mir  allehi."
Pupil 7-8 mm.
  Special senses:—
     Taste.—Salt  solution (strong).    Said  it  was
               sugar.  Eecognised sugar water.
     Smell.—Did  not  recognise  tobacco;  thought
               hyacinth was nitro-benzole.
  Woke at 10.17 p.m. after a scries of clonic and tonic
spasms.
  Details of spasms :—
     (a) Eigidity of Avhole body.
     (b) Opisthotonos.
     (c) Pleurosthotonos.
  No pain in muscles.   No headache ;  only felt dazed
and tired.
  Pupils 6 mm. Ee-act to light,
  Details of consciousness:—
  Conscious of spasms.
  Total analgesia during  the  latter  two-thirds  of
experiment, but consciousness  of " pressure."

  At 11 p.m. walked straight home, then wrote letters.
Made some tea, drank it; felt refreshed.   On going to
the post, put country  and town letters in wrong boxes.
        1 Had been working at Italian  for some weeks. 
101    The  Mental Condition  in Hypnotism.

Eeturning home, felt very much bored but not sleepy ;
sat up hying to Avrite.   Sentences Avere clumsy failures.
Could not think.  In the night slept, half dreaming
(never dreams in normal state).  When he lay in bed,
he saw the same face that presented itself in going off
at 9 p.m.  the  previous  evening.   Italian Avords con-
stantly  occurred  to him.   Was restless, and felt  a
tendency to right pleurosthotonos.   A little cramp in
legs.   Got some sound sleep.   When letters came in
the  morning  felt  utterly  miserable,  and  could not
muster strength to get up and read  them.  Did not
get  up till  2 p.m.  Went to University College;
appeared tired and dreamy; felt as if he had forgotten
things that  occurred during night.   Did not feel in-
clined to  call in Gower Street  at 10  a.m., as  he had
been  particularly told to do while in the hypnotized
state.  Could multiply  and divide.   Pupils  5  mm.
Next day conducted viva voce  examination  for  three
hours, but still had a cerebellar headache; relieved
by  alcohol.   Worked  unAvillingly, but  once  started
went on.
  For two  days  after  the experiment Mr.  North
found that close attention to  the  subject  gave hjm
the same  impressions as those  which ushered in the
hypnotic  sleep, and was  compelled sometimes  to
change the subject. 
ARTIFICIAL   SOMNAMBULISM   AT
          THE   SALPETRIERE.
Thanks to the courtesy of  M. Charcot, I have had
several  opportunities  of witnessing somnambulism
artificially induced  in his service at the Salpetriere.
Some of the  cases I have  briefly described  in the
Journal of Mental Science.   Their  importance, how-
ever,  Avill bear a  more extended  notice, and this
I am enabled  to give  through the  assistance of the
Professor  and M.  Eicher, Avhose excellent work  on
Hystero-Epilejisy is well known in England. But for
this  help  I  should have despaired giving a faithful
and  somewhat detailed report  of  the  conclusions
arrhed  at by M.  Charcot,  one  of  whose  ablest ex-
ponents is M. Eicher.   My obligations to them are in
direct ratio to the  satisfaction afforded to the reader
of this section.
  It must be remembered that  the hypnotic  pheno-
mena  observed at  the  Salpetriere have  occurred
in the subjects of hysteria major.  The form is there-
fore  peculiar, and  is coloured by  the disorder.  It
presents a complete and regular type, of Avhich other
forms of hypnotism are feeble and  imperfect  forms.
What may be called hypnotismus major throAVS light
upon the less defined forms. 
106  Artificial  Somuaudndism  at  the Salpetriere.

  The therapeutic action of hypnotism has boon little
pursued by MM. Charcot  and Eicher.   Bather have
they sought to prove hypnotism by unquestionable
proofs; to place it on a  solid basis, and  to  elucidate
thereby the physiology and pathology of  the nervous
system.
  Three distinct states or types are  recognized at the
Salpetriere, as having  symptoms peculiar to each—
namely, the cataleptic, the lethargic, and the somnam-
bulistic.   They may be  observed alone,  but as they
may succeed one another in the same experiment, they
are regarded as phases or stages of the same affection.
  The cataleptic state is produced by a loud and un-
expected  sound,  a bright  light,  or by staring at an
object after Braid's  original  method.   It is consecu-
tive to the lethargic state Avhen the  eyes, closed until
that time, are exposed  to  the light by  raising  the
lids.  It is sIoav or sudden in  its invasion; the former
Avhen Braid's method is employed.   This, however,
only succeeds Avith some subjects, for it more usually
causes lethargy.   The lethargic  state may, notwith-
standing,  be changed  into  the  cataleptic  state by
suddenly  removing, at the right  moment, the  object
upon which the gaze of  the subject  is fixed.  M.
Eicher infers from this that the subject, before passing
into the hypnotic sleep,  traverses the cataleptic stage,
but so rapidly that it is unobserved unless arrested in
its course and rendered permanent.
  In this mode of producing  the cataleptic state, the
participation of the will  is necessary.   The  attention,
as well as  the  look, must be directed to the object.
But this  concurrence of  the will  is  not  necessary
when the  cataleptic  sleep is induced suddenly by the
other processes mentioned.  The  subject may be sur- 
     Artificial  Somnambulism  at  the Salpetriere.  10 7

prised and rendered cataleptic at  a time when he least
expects it.  He  is seized,  and,  as it  were, instan-
taneously petrified, hoAvever strong his efforts may be to
resist the influence.  MM. Charcot and Eicher have ob-
tained this result many times by making vivid electric
sparks flash before the eyes of subjects not expecting
them, or by striking a hidden gong.1  When the com-
mencement of the catalepsy is thus sudden and unex-
pected,  the subject is immediately rendered immovable
in the attitude in which he Avas at the moment Avhen he
Avas impressed.  There is  sometimes,  in addition, an
expression or gesture of terror.   In this case, may the
catalepsy be attributed to the emotion of fright ?  or
rather,  is it not due to  the vivid  and  sudden excite-
ment of the senses of  sight and hearing?  M. Richer
thinks  that the  result cannot be  referred  to either
cause exclusively.  It is true that on  coming out of
the cataleptic state, the subjects have no remembrance
of any fear; but we  knoAV  that  the  amnesia Avhich
accompanies these states  sometimes applies equally
to the  moments Avhich  immediately precede  it, and
authors have  reported  cases  of  catalepsy  suddenly
succeeding to a state of vivid emotion.   On  the other
hand,  M.  Richer1 s observations demonstrate that  a
luminous impression on the retina is alone sufficient to
produce the cataleptic condition, and the same holds
good of  an auditory impression.   When  the  subject
is plunged into a  lethargic condition,  with the eyes
closed,  it  is sufficient to expose the globes in order
to instantaneously induce the cataleptic state, but this
result is only brought about  in a light room, so allowing
the retina to receive  a luminous impression.  In the
same way a monotonous  and prolonged  sound, like the
                    1  See page 64. 
108  Artificial  Somnambulism at the  Salpetriere.

tic-tac of a Avatch, or the continuous vibration of a gong,
may produce this effect.
  Immobility,  it  may  be said, is the characteristic
feature of this state.  The subject, even  Avhen  placed
in a forced attitude, retains a  complete  equilibrium.
The  eyes are  open,  the  look fixed, the face  expres-
sionless.    The  eyelids  rarely wink,  and  the tears
accumulate  and roll  doAvn the cheeks.   The respi-
ratory movements themselves are  modified.    The
pneumograph^ tracings mark long pauses, represented
by  horizontal lines,  AAdiich,  at long intervals, break
the shalloAv  depressions.
  The limbs do  not suffer  fatigue  from  eArcn  the
difficult  positions  in which  they  are placed.   When
raised or  displaced, they experience the  sensation
of extreme  lightness,  and whether they are  flexed
or extended they offer no resistance.   At  the same
time, there  is no  true   " flexibilitas cerea,"  as is
often stated.
  Tendon-reflexes are absent  or  very  much  dimin-
ished, and the phenomena of neuro-muscular  hyper-
excitability,  AArhich MM.  Charcot and  Richer have so
elaborately  described1 in  the Archives de Neurologie,
are completely Avanting.
  The   skin  is  entirely  insensible to  Avhat  would
cause  the  acutest   pain  were the patient  in  the
normal condition; but certain senses, especially those
of  sight and  hearing, preserve  their activity, more
or  less.    Through these channels reflex actions  can
in consequence be  excited,  by suggestions.   Fixed
attitudes, artificially impressed upon  the limbs,  are
succeeded by more or less complex movements, per-
  1  See summary of these researches in the  " French Retrospect," by
the Avriter—Journal of Mental Science, January, 1883. 
     Artificial  Somnambulism  at the Salpetriere.  109

fectly  co-ordinated  to  the character  of the  actions
excited.
  Taking visual suggestions first, it may be observed
that the eye of the  cataleptic  is fixed, and appears
to see nothing.   In fact,  if let alone,  it  does  not
leave the imaginary point to  which it seems to  be
directed.  But if,  in the field of vision, any object  is
lightly  moved  backAvards and forwards,  the  eyes
immediately MIoav  it,  and usually the head does  so
also,  Avhile the rest of  the body remains completely
cataleptic.
  As regards  auditory  suggestions,  as the  hearing
is no  more  abolished  than sight,  a  stroke  on the
gong may  modify  the  cataleptic  attitude  of  the
patient,   Indeed, music  exerts so powerful  an im-
pression as to make  the  subject  assume  all the
postures related to  the various sentiments Avhich it
expresses.   When  the  music ceases  the  catalepsy
immediately  returns.
  The subject can,  of course, be impressed by Avords
as Avell as  sounds,  and  definite  hallucinations may
thus be excited, which cause gestures and conversa-
tions resembling  the third stage of  hysteria major,
Avith the difference that during  the attack the patient
is completely insensible to every  external  stimulus,
and  the hallucination  occurring  spontaneously pur-
sues an irresistible course, Avhile in  the case of the
induced hallucination,  although ansesthesia may  be
equally complete, the  senses are not totally sealed,
and  the hallucination   is through them under the
complete  command   and direction of the operator.
  The  muscular sense, again,  is a facile channel  for
suggestion.   AVhen  plunged  into the cataleptic state,
with the eyes open,  the physiognomy does not remain 
110  Artificial  Somnambulism  at  the Salpetriere.

unaffected by  the  A'arious  attitudes  of  the body
induced,  as indeed  Braid  originally  pointed  out.
When  these  attitudes  are  expressive,   it  is   in
harmony Avith them.  Thus, a tragic  attitude induces
a severe air  on the face, and the broAV is contracted.
On the  contrary, if  the  open hand  is brought  to
the mouth, as in  sending a kiss,  a smile immediately
plays over the lips.  The  reaction of gesture upon
physiognomy is, in truth, most striking and beautiful.
   Further, the  experiment may be reversed,  and  the
influence  of  the  facial  expression upon  the  gesture
may be contrasted in the  same  Avay.
   To impress  A'arious expressions upon the physi-
ognomy   MM.   Charcot   and  Richer  haAe  had
recourse,  as  already  mentioned,  to local faradization
of the  facial  muscles,  in  a similar Avay  to  that
practised  by M.  Duchenne.
   In  proportion  to the  degree in AArhich the move-
ment  of  the  features  is  accentuated under  the
influence  of  this excitation, Ave  see the  Avhole body
in action, as  it were,  spontaneously, and the  gestures
supplement  the facial expression.  When  the appli-
cation  is clumsily  performed,  the   physiognomical
expression is  not fully  marked, and  the  gesture
remains  undecided.   Once induced,  the  action  im-
pressed on the face is  not effaced, even when the cause
is removed.   After the  removal of the electrodes, the
face remains  fixed, as also  the accompanying  gesture.
If the ordinary position  of the limbs is then restored,
the physiognomy also becomes at once expressionless.
   Most important of all are the proofs of the reality
of the cataleptic state which AIM. Charcot and Richer
have contrived, so as  to preA^ent successful simulation.
   It is generally supposed,  that if, Avith a cataleptic 
     Artificial Somna/ubulism at the  Salpetriere.  Ill

subject, an arm is extended horizontally, this position
may be retained so long  as  to  prove beyond doubt
that there is no deception.   This is not the  case, for
at the end of ten or fifteen minutes the limb begins to
fall, and in tAventy or twenty-fiA'e minutes at most,  it
has become A'ortieal.  A vigorous person, not hypnot-
ized, can extend the arm as long.   Another test must
therefore  be  found.  This is  supplied by  tracings of
muscular  contractions,  as  has  been  stated  already.1
If a myograph be  connected Avith the extended limb,
and a pneumograph be applied to the chest of a simu-
lator on the one hand, and a genuine cataleptic on the
other, the following are the results:—With the cata-
leptic, the tracing which registers the contractions of
the arm exhibits a  perfectly uniform line  during the
whole period.   With the  simulator,  on the contrary,
the corresponding  tracing resembles at first that of
the  cataleptic,  but, at   the  expiration   of  several
minutes, decided differences appear ;  the uniform line
becomes uneven and very' irregular,  marked  here
and there by  great oscillations.  The pneumographic
tracings are no  less significant.  With the cataleptic
the  respiration is  less frequent, and  is  superficial;
the completion of the  tracing  resembles  the com-
mencement.   With the simulator,  the line is com-
posed of  tAVO  distinct  parts;  at  first the  respira-
tion is  normal and regular;  in  the  second stage,
Avhich marks the period of muscular fatigue, there  is
irregularity  in  the rhythm  and the  volume of the
respiration, and deep and rapid depressions—proofs of
the disturbance of  the  breathing Avhich accompanies
the muscular effort which the person  is making.  In
short, the cataleptic does not experience any fatigue ;
                     1 See page 69. 
112  Artificial  Somnambulism  at the Salpetriere.

the muscle  subsides,  but  Avithout  effort,  Avithout
voluntary  interference.  The simulator,  on the con-
trary,  subjected to the  double  test,  finds himself
draAvn in  two directions  at  the same  instant,  one
induced  by  muscular  effort, the other  by the vain
attempt to conceal it!
   Infallible tests are also at hand in the production at
Avill of hemi-lethargy  and hemi-catalepsy, Avhich can
be repeated at any moment, Avhether during the state
of automatism or during  that  of induced hallucina-
tions.
   A few words may be said as to the mode of  termi-
nating the cataleptic condition.   It may  cease  either
by the patient's returning  to  the normal state, or by
transition  to  that of  lethargy.  A slight stimulus,
such as blowing on the  face, is  sufficient to rouse the
subject.   In a moment he is  restored  to the outer
world.   Pressure upon the  ovarian region has the
same  effect.   Closing  the   eyelids, or  simply the
Avithdrawal  of  light,   instantly  induces  lethargy.
During the presence of the cataleptic state, it suffices
to close one of  the subject's eyes, to induce relaxation
and at the same time neuro-muscular hyper-excitability
on the corresponding  side, whilst the same  side as
that  on which  the eye   remains open  retains  the
attributes of catalepsy.
   With regard to the lethargic  state, or type, it is, in
the first instance, induced by looking  steadily at an
object, or by slight and  continuous pressure on the eyes
when the lids are closed, for ten or fifteen minutes in a
sensitive  person,  and  for  the first time, but sub-
sequently in a much shorter period;  not, hoAvever,
suddenly,  as  when the  cataleptic  condition occurs.
When the latter state is induced, by AAThateArer means, 
Artifirial Somnambulism  at  the Salpetriere.  Ho
simply closing the eyes may, as stated, cause leth-
argy, and pressure may produce  the  somnambulistic
condition.  As regards the symptoms of lethargy, the
early stage  is  often  marked  by a deep inspiration,
Avith a peculiar sound  in the throat, followed by some
frothy saliva on  the  lips.   The  eyes are partly or
altogether  closed; the globes are  strongly  turned
upwards and inwards,  and there is constant quivering
of the lids.   The body is powerless; the limbs become
flaccid,  and,  if raised, fall  down heavily  AAdien not
supported.   The respiration, as  ascertained  by  the
pneumograph, is deep, and somewhat  irregular.   The
tendon-reflexes, which are diminished, or  altogether
absent, in the cataleptic  state, are here remarkably
exaggerated.   Moreover,  there  is   marked  neuro-
muscular hyper-excitability, a  phenomenon  which
M.  Charcot  first  observed in  1878,  and  Avhich he
has  designated  hyperexcitabilite  neuromusculaire des
hypnotiques.   It  consists  of   the  aptitude  Avhich
the voluntary muscles  acquire to contract  under the
influence of  simple mechanical irritation.  The irrita-
tion of the tendons and the nerves will also excite like
action of the muscles  Avith which they are connected.
Thus, by means of a  small rod,  applied to the  skin
over  a  given point, most  of the results obtained by
Duchenne by galvanism, have been  induced  in the
hypnotized subjects at  the Salpetriere, by MM. Charcot
and Richer,  to  whom great credit is due for  their
beautiful experiments.
   Thus  for  example,  muscular contractions,  charac-
teristic of irritation of the  radial, ulnar, and  median
nerves, are produced by this means.   The muscles of
the  extremities,  the  trunlv, and  the  neck are acted
unon in  like manner.  Such contractions are energetic, 
Ill  Artificial Somnambulism at  the Salpetriere.

and resist even violent efforts, and they may  persist
for several  days after  the  subject  awakes  from her
sleep, AAmile so long as the lethargy lasts, the contrac-
tion can be  almost instantly removed by stimulating
in the same way  the antagonist muscles.   It is a
remarkable  circumstance, however,  not  easily  ex-
plained,  that the facial muscles  differ from those of
the rest of the  body in this particular, that they do
not preserve their contractions  after the subject is
aroused,  but at  once relax.
   Limited  stimulation of  the  skin by a  pinch or
blowing, or by gently stroking the surface of  a limb,
does not excite these muscular contractions.
   It  cannot be  too  strongly insisted  upon that the
nenro-muscular  excitability which  forms so  funda-
mental  a character of the  lethargic stage of hypno-
tism is an objective symptom so striking and so easily
induced  in sensitive  subjects, that it forms  a deli-
cate  anatomico-physiological proof of  the phenomena
being  produced  independently   of  the Avill  of  the
person upon whom the experiment is performed.
   We agree  with  MM.  Charcot and  Richer in
thinking that to suppose an uneducated Avoman could,
when  first acted  upon, induce localized  muscular
contractions, with absolute anatomical precision, upon
many parts of the body, would be " truly  childish."
   In the lethargic  state  analgesia  appears  to be
complete,  while  some of  the   senses  (hearing  and
vision) preserve  a  certain amount of activity.   It is
found, however, that the attempt to impress  a parti-
cular idea or action upon  the  subject  by  means of
suggestion usually fails.
   If, when the lethargy is profound,  the  subject's
eyelids are raised in a light place, the cataleptic stage 
     Artificial Somnambulism at the  Salpetriere.  115

is induced, as has already been stated.   Moreover, if
one  of  the  eyes is kept  closed,  whilst  the  other is
subjected to  a  bright  light, the  surprising  result is
Avitnessed of an individual divided in two parts by the
median line—the one, Avhich corresponds to the closed
eye, presenting the characters of  muscular suscep-
tibility peculiar to the  lethargic state; the  other,
AArhich corresponds to the open eye,  presenting  simul-
taneously the phenomena belonging  to  the  cataleptic
stage already described.
  Proceeding  noAV  to the third,  the somnambulistic
state, it may be also  induced by  fixing the  attention
upon an object, or by feeble but repeated monotonous
sensory impressions, as Avell as by other  means Avhich
need not be  specified  here.  It  is  pretty  easily
induced in persons previously placed in  the  lethargic
or cataleptic state by pressure or gentle frictions upon
the Aertex.   This condition corresponds more to that
of the  so-called " magnetic sleep "  than the  other
types.   The phenomena  are Aery complex, and with
difficulty  analysed.   Some are not  readily explained
in our present state  of  physiological knoAvledge, and
have been,  to some extent,  left over, so to  speak, at
the Salpetriere for future investigation.
  The eyes are closed, or half closed ; the lids often,
but  not ahvays, quiver.   The subject, left to herself,
appears to  be asleep, or rather torpid; the attitude
is not so relaxed, and the resolution of the limbs not
so complete as is observed in lethargy.
  The  tendon-reflexes are  normal;  neuro-muscular
phenomena   are   absent;  in   other   Avords,   the
stimulation  of  the nerves"  and muscles themselves,
or the percussion of the tendons, does not cause any
contractions.  But,  on the other  hand, a remarkable 
116  Artificial Somnambidism at the  Salpetriere.

degree of  rigidity is  caused by  light touches of the
skin, or gently bloAving upon it—a contraction which
differs from that arising  in neuro-muscular hyper-
excitability in not being  dissipated by acting upon
the antagonist  muscles,  although,  in general, easily
relieved by the same processes, gently applied  to  the
skin, Avhich induced it.  Often confounded Avith  the
immobility  of catalepsy,  it is,  nevertheless, clearly
distinguished  from  it  by  the resistance,  often Aery
decided, which is  offered Avhen an attempt is made to
force the rigid limb in the other direction.  M. Richer
designates this  condition  as cataleptoid,  or pseudo-
cataleptic,   to mark   it   off  from  the  immobility,
without rigidity,  AA'hich characterizes catalepsy.
   Whilst  in  the state of  somnambulism, analgesia
may be complete ; there persists a remarkable exalta-
tion in certain  respects,  imperfectly studied,  of  the
cutaneous sensibility, the muscular sense, and certain
special  senses.   It is generally easy, by means of
suggestion or command, to perform very complex  and
varied automatic  acts.
   The relation between the lethargic and the som-
nambulistic state is more direct than that betAveen the
somnambulistic and the cataleptic.  This is shoAvn by
the fact, that  if in a subject in somnambulism slight
pressure is exerted on the eyes by the fingers, lethargy,
with neuro-muscular excitability, is induced, while on
the other hand, if the  eyelids  are raised and the eyes
exposed to the light, catalepsy is not the result.
   A few words as to the proofs of the reality of  this
state of somnambulism, and the  diagnosis of simula-
tion.   They are identical with those  of the cataleptic
and lethargic  states, and are due to  the susceptibilitA"
which takes place in the  neuro-muscular system, as 
     Artificial Somnambulism at the  Salpetriere.  117

compared with that ordinarily  present.   Whatever
the means employed to produce the muscular contrac-
tion, it may be carefully examined and  tested, so as
to determine beyond doubt Avhether it is simulated or
not.   Tracings should be  obtained, as stated  in  the
section on lethargy.  Lastly, a  proof  of  genuineness
is afforded by the production of hemi-lethargy along
Avith the characters of neuro-muscular excitability, by
pressure on one eye.
   It  may happen that  certain  hypnotic phenomena
persist  Avhen  the subject  is awake.   Muscular con-
traction, as induced by the experimenter, may, as Ave
have seen, continue, if not removed during the  sleep ;
moreover, it is not relieAed by the means AATrich easily
have this effect Avhile the  subject  is hypnotized.   It
presents all  the4 characters  of  permanent hysterical
contraction, the only difference being  in the causation.
M. Richer  has not alloAved  this contraction to con-
tinue more than a feAV hours.  He  finds that the most
rapid and certain mode  of terminating this condition
is to  re-hypnotize  the patient,  and to manipulate in
the manner already mentioned.
   As has  been  described  in  the section  on  "  The
Mental  Condition in Hypnotism," hallucinations  and
delusions induced during the sleep may persist,  like
muscular contraction,1 on aAvaking.  Even the  reali-
ties  of  the  outer  world do  not disillusionize  the
subject.
   The influence of the repetition of experiments upon
the development of  the  hypnotic phenomena must
here  be briefly referred  to.    The  symptoms now
described are  not  equally well  marked, as may  be
supposed, in  all cases of hypnotism.   M. Richer,
                    1 See page 88.
                                           i 2 
118  Artificial Somnambulism at the Salpetriere.

during  four  years'  study,  only  met  with seven  or
eight cases in Avhich all the phenomena uoav described
were really Avell marked.  All of  them  Avere Avomen
affected with hysteria major.  Again, it  is  important
to remember that patients  can, to  some  extent, be
educated;  and  this  is  a circumstance AA'hich should
never be lost sight  of, for  Avhile  certain phenomena
may not be simulated, they  may be developed  by
unconscious practice.   Even in  the  most complete
 ■ases, all the phenomena may not have presented, from
the beginning of the  experiments, the succession  of
definite characters here detailed.   Little by little, the
subjects are, by repetition, perfected,  so  to speak.
Sleep is more quickly  induced ; it is  deeper; neuro-
muscular excitability, Avhich at first requires more  or
less  energetic  massage, becomes  more  perfect, and
very slight excitation suffices  to  induce the  precise
localized contractions  described.    So  with the cata-
leptic, who at first is far from manifesting the fully-
developed  characters  which have been  mentioned.
This progress of symptoms is, however, itself a matter
of interest, if recognized and understood.
   One  of  the  most remarkable  questions  for long
discussed by authors interested in the  question, is the
amnesia which succeeds the experiments.   The chain
of the subject's memories is arrested  the moment  he
passes  into the  sleep,  to  be renewed when he is
awaked.  Generally  the amnesia  is  complete and
absolute.  Sometimes,  howeArer,   although  he cannot
at first  remember  anything, hints and suggestions
serve to enable him to recall some  of his hallucinations
and actions.   Although usually the loss  of  memory
extends back to the time of going to sleep,  it some-
times  covers  the  moments  immediately  preceding 
     Artificial Somnambulism at the  Salpetriere.  119

the sleep, as Avhen the subject is suddenly acted upon
by  the gong, or a brilliant light.  In that case, the
fact of having  been sent to sleep is not present to
the consciousness;  catcu the haA'ing been asleep at all
is ignored.
  MM.  Charcot   and  Richer do  not find,   if the
foregoing experiments  are  conducted with care,  that
fatigue is  experienced, but  if  too  long continued,
the  subjects,  on  aAvaking,  shiver,  and complain of
cold.   M.  Charcot  repels the  notion   that  they
suffer  any inconvenience in consequence  of  hypnot-
ism ;   still less does  he admit that the effects are
dangerous.
  I think, hoAvever, that it is very important  to be
alive to the possible influence exerted on  the system
in  rendering  it too susceptible to  causes calculated
to  induce  nervous  sleep  when not  intended.   Mr.
North found, on returning home after the third and
last time  he submitted to a  hypnotic  experiment,
that the mere  direction of his attention to  a book
in  which he was  interested,  tended  to bring on the
same  condition.  When this  happens,  it  is  clearly
undesirable to continue experimentation. 
CONCLUSION.
It is scarcely  necessary to do more  than point out to
the reader the  parallelism in many particulars between
the  phenomena  of  spontaneous  somnambulism  and
those Avitnessed in  hypnotism.   As  these phenomena
are arranged under the same heads, the reader  can
make  the comparison  for  himself.   There  is  an
obvious  reason why the  details are more  complete1
in the description of the latter than the  former, seeing
that it is  possible to prolong the induced  condition,
and carefully observe the reactions to various stimuli.
Many of the most  marked cases of  natural somnam-
bulism have occurred before it  had become usual to
note  accurately  and scientifically the   state  of  the
several senses, reflexes, etc.    In future, the sleep-
walker will be much more carefully  tested, and there
Avill be  a clearer appreciation of the  special points
upon Avhich it is needful  to  obtain  definite informa-
tion.1
  1 An excellent illustration of a good report of  a ease of Trailer
will be found in the Lancet,  Dec., 1883, and  Jan. 5 and 12, 1884,
" Lethargic Stupor or Trance extending continuously over  inoiv
than thirty-three weeks," by Professor Gairdner, of Glasgow.
Pardon Jc SmtA, Printer), Paternogter Row, and Wine Office Court, Londvn. 
 
 
BY THE  SAME  AUTHOR.
                               I.

INSANITY  IN ANCIENT AND MODERN LIEE,

       WITH CHAPTERS OX   ITS  PREVENTION.

                     2nd Edition,  Ylmo., 6s.

                       MACMILLAN & Co.

                     PRESS  NOTICES.

  "A work like this,  embodying the  matured conclusions  of thoughtful
study and extensive observation, free from dogmatism and exaggeration, from
sensational statements  and vicious logic, is always welcome.  So much has
appeared on this subject, abounding with pernicious errors, that the value of
a good book like this can scarcely be over-estimated."—The American Journal
of the Medical Sciences.
  '' Dr. Tuke has produced a very interesting and readable book, replete with
well balanced facts, which  are never used for dogmatising, but treated in a
calm and judicial manner.  The  third part  of the book is somewhat novel,
treating, as it does, of auto-prophylaxis, or the power of the individual over
himself to prevent insanity."—British Medical Journal.
                               II.

   CHAPTERS  IN  THE  HISTORY  OF   THE

        INSANE  IN  THE BRITISH  ISLES.

                 With Four Illustrations, 8vo., 12s.

                 KEGAN,  PAUL,  TRENCH, & Co.

                     PRESS  NOTICES.

  '' Dr. Tuke's work is not a technical  production : it is written  in language
intelligible to all, and in a style for which the author's well-accredited position
is sufficient guarantee."— Westminster Review.
  " In a brief and clear preface to his book Dr. Tuke tells us that its range
' is mainly restricted to the salient points of the historical sketch it attempts
to portray,' and it may at once be said that these salient points have been
selected with much judgment and treated with  much skill.  Of course, as
' the  periods and  the institutions of  greatest importance have alone been
brought  into prominence,  others have been inevitably thrown  into the 
shade.'   But the periods and institutions of greatest importance are just those
which one wants to hear about;  and one hears about them from Dr. Tuke,
who knows how to  be light on  occasion without being Hippant, and, in tin-
body of his book, to be instructive without being tedious or dry, in as good  a
way as can be desired."— The Saturday Review.
   " It is the outcome of much laborious research, directed by full knowledge
and sober judgment ; and though it contains  nothing  that  can fairly be
called superfluous, covers too much ground to render an adequate  sketch of its
contents possible. . .  .  Dr. Tuke's account of the various legislative measures
affecting mentally  afflicted  persons  is  admirably done, and its  value is
enhanced by the abstract of the more important Acts given in the Appendix."
— The Academy.
   " It is full of instruction, and cannot fail to be alluded  to as an authority
on every subject to  which it refers.  AVe commend the whole volume  to the
careful perusal  not  only of those who are specially devoted  to pyschological
investigations,  but  to the  members  of the medical profession generally, who
can hardly avoid being interested in the matters that are everywhere discussed
with marked ability, and which cannot fail to add to  the high reputation of
its eminent author.   Dr. Tuke has the rare  distinction of worthily inheriting
a name  than which for several generations none  is better known for important
labours  in ameliorating  the condition of the  insane."—American Journal of
the Medical Sciences.
   " Dr. Tuke's  ' History of the Insane' is, for the present, the  standard book
upon the subject."—Illustrated London News.
   '' Dr.  Tuke's work is  an addition to the literature of insanity that was
greatly  needed.   It has been executed at the right time, and the author is in
every way qualified for the work he has undertaken.   His book manifests  a
wide and liberal comprehension of this subject ; bears evidence of a most
intimate and thorough knowledge of all relating thereto ; and shows a most
laborious, exhaustive, and  painstaking power of research, together with an
impartiality and freedom from prejudice, most remarkable in one so intimately
connected with and so deeply  interested in this subject. .  . .   The book will
not only be a medical classic,  but will be read with interest by laymen, and
may thus greatly aid in dispelling  the  ignorance  that exists in the public
mind in regard to asylums  and the treatment of the insane."—The Lancet.
   "The chapter on  the criminal lunatics  at Broadmoor is very important,
and we  commend it to our  readers, as also that  which follows,  on the lunacy
jurisdiction  of  the  Chancery Court.   There are also  special sections relating
to Scotland and Ireland ;  and the author's Presidential Address upon ' The
Progress of Psychological Medicine during the last Forty Years "  is reprinted
as the concluding chapter  of  this admirable and most interesting book."—
The British  Medical Journal.
  "The unassuming  title  of  Dr. Tuke's book gives  little indication  of the
store of erudition that the  book contains.   It is  indeed an historical record of
the great conflict that has raged for a century  over the unfortunate victims
of the battle of life. .  .  . The whole of the book, stored as it is with an
abundant accumulation of facts, and penetrated throughout by the kindly
and  genial spirit of the author, is  of interest  not only to the specialist in
insanity, not only to the  medical profession, but possesses  a  very real and
vivid interest for the general public."—Medical Times and Gazette. 
                             III.

A MANUAL  OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE.

         (JOINT AUTHOR AVITH Dr.  BUCKXILL, F.R.S.)

                     ith Edition, 8vo., 25s.

                   J. &  A.  CHURCHILL.

                     PRESS NOTICES.

  '' AVc have been often asked to designate the best book on insanity for
general use.  To those who must confine their studies to a single work, we
believe the last edition of Bucknill and  Tuke will prove the most compre-
hensive and useful treatise in the English language. "—Boston Medical and
Surgical Journal.
  "In the revision, every sentence and even every word seems to have been
critically examined.   As  a whole, the volume is a monument of faithful, .
conscientious work."—American Journal  of Medical Sciences.
                              IV.

 ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  THE   INFLUENCE  OF

    THE MIND  UPON  THE  BODY  IN HEALTH

    AND DISEASE, DESIGNED TO  ELUCIDATE

    THE  ACTION OF THE  IMAGINATION.

                    2nd Edition, 2 vols., 15s.
                     J. & A.  CHURCHILL.

                    PRESS  NOTICES.

  "The large class of mankind whose favourite study is man, will find a mass
 of instructive and interesting matter in the work of Dr. Tuke.  Though it is
 addressed to the medical man as well as to the general reader, the author
 steers clear of all pedantry and undue technicality,  and recommends himself
 by the clearness and scholarship of his style, no less than by the richness of
 his  illustrative quotations.....  His book should be read, and is  readable
 from cover to cover."—The Saturday Review.
  "As a philosophical work the merit is high and the interest is great. These
 volumes are a perfect treasury of curious observations and apposite comments.
 Dr.  Tuke's remarks upon the influence of expectant attention, as illustrated
 by the  experiments of Mr. Stewart Cumberland,  etc., will be read with
 especial interest at the present time."—Edinburgh Medical Journal.
  '' AVe are glad to welcome a second edition of this interesting and useful
 book."—Medical Times and Gazette.
  " Dr. Tuke has done well to publish this enlarged and revised edition of his
 useful treatise with the addition of several excellent diagrams,  which con-
siderably aid in elucidating the text for the benefit of readers who have not
given any special attention to anatomy and physiology."—Fall Mall  Ga-.ctte. 
 
 
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