When giving public exhibitions of hypnotic power, it is well to plan beforehand amusing performances that will be positive proofs of hypnotic influence. First put the subject in the somnambulistic state, as directed in Chapter VII (Degrees Of Hypnosis), and then, by positive suggestions, any of the following remarkable exhibitions can be made.

All the senses may be exalted to the highest degree, and the subject will give evidence of this in an unmistakable manner. Drop a pin upon the floor with the remark that you are going to drop a cannon ball, and when the pin falls he will jump and manifest a consciousness of having actually heard the falling of a heavy weight.

Suggest that you are going to explode a dynamite bomb. Hold an egg in the hand and state that it is the bomb. Break the egg, and the subject will clap his hands to his ears and show great distress and fright, such as he would manifest should an actual explosion of dynamite occur.

Give the subject a bottle of cologne and tell him he cannot take it away from his nose; then suggest that it is a bottle of strong ammonia, and he will act accordingly. Or give him a peeled onion and suggest that it is a rose, and he will show great delight in holding it to his nostrils.

Dancing, leaping, jumping, and other displays of muscular agility may be made by suggestion. It is a strange fact that many persons who have never danced can be made to do so in the hypnotic state, and will usually perform very gracefully when there is musical accompaniment. Some hypnotists make their subjects contort their bodies by bending backwards or putting the leg over the head, or doing similar difficult exercises. Such performances are dangerous, unless the subject is an acrobat. There are an abundance of harmless and amusing feats to be performed to demonstrate hypnotism without resorting to those that risk life or limb.

Subjects can be made to sing songs or to deliver orations while in the hypnotic condition. Those who are usually backward in doing these things may be greatly benefited by being hypnotized and forced to do them. Such persons may have post-suggestions made to them advantageously. It is not necessary for the operator to think of the words to be spoken. Let the suggestion be made, and results will follow. For instance, say, "You are William Jennings Bryan, and the crowd of people before you want to have you make them a speech on 'Free Silver, 16 to 1.' " It is often surprising to note the display of oratory that will follow such a suggestion. A new subject cannot be relied upon to speak in this manner for the first time, and in a public exhibition only a well-known, good subject should be used.

Expert hypnotists sometimes demonstrate their power of compelling the subject to speak in a foreign tongue with which he is unfamiliar. This is done by previously hypnotizing the subject and repeating to him several times the words you wish him to commit to memory. He will commit them very readily and repeat them whenever he is again hypnotized and called upon to do so. It is, of course, impossible to give a hypnotized subject the power to freely use a foreign language.

Very amusing exhibitions may be made by suggesting to hypnotized subjects that they are fishing or hunting. Give them brooms or pokers or umbrellas for fishing rods, and they will in imagination cast their lines and upon suggestions draw in huge fishes and go through all the maneuvers of fishermen. Give them any articles for guns and set them rabbit hunting; they will take aim and shoot and pick up their imaginary rabbits and skin them and cook them and devour them with evident relish.

The emotions may be easily excited by hypnotic suggestions. A number of subjects thrown into hearty laughter will render their actions contagious to persons in the audience, who will also become convulsed with laughter. This is a good thing to occasionally do, for it puts the audience into good humor. On the other hand, crying and sobbing may be easily induced; but it must be remembered that sudden changes from joy to grief, or vice versa, must not be permitted. Such sudden changes are liable to produce hysterics in nervous subjects during hypnosis.

Probably one of the most amusing and harmless performances during hypnosis is the suggestions made to various subjects that they have grown old, or that they are babes or children. Full-grown men will act with perfection the part of two-year-olds, and children may be made to assume all the attitudes of the aged and infirm. It is amusing to have upon the platform at one time a group of adults playing childish games, with bibs about their necks, while young persons are sedately posing as aged men or women.

Subjects can be made to believe that chairs or tables or other articles of furniture are various animals. A girl will take a silk hat as a bucket and proceed to milk the table as a cow. A man will jump astride a chair and urge his imaginary horse to full speed. Books become cats or dogs or anything else the operator may desire the subject to believe them to be. Again, the subjects themselves may, upon suggestion, assume the role of various animals.

A beautiful exhibition of supreme happiness follows the suggestion to a group of hypnotized subjects that they have taken a trip to heaven and are enjoying its glories. Such a trip may be commenced by suggesting to the party that they are to travel heavenward in a balloon. The caution they will portray and the emotions they will evince become very realistic.

Many more amusing and entertaining performances will suggest themselves to the operator who is giving a public exhibition. In all such exhibitions let the acts blend pleasantly from one to the other. Sudden changes are trying on the subject and also detract from the harmony of the exhibition,