If one wishes to hypnotize, and especially to obtain therapeutic results by this means, one must first arm one's self with great patience, with enthusiasm, with consistency, with an unhesitating manner, and with the capability of inventing tricks and of originating ideas. Next, one must learn to observe psychologically correctly, and to individualize. Lastly, the determination of the actual diagnosis is necessary, as it is in every other form of treatment. But suggestion itself often offers such an excellent diagnostic means that one is thoroughly justified in applying it for this purpose frequently. The diagnosis of a doubtful case can ofttirnes be made from the success or failure of the hypnotic suggestion.

As the foregoing implies, not every medical practitioner is suitable to become a hypnotist. It is true that the personal magnetic fluid, which used to be considered necessary, is a superfluous myth, but every one does not possess the characteristics and capabilities mentioned above. By far the most potent factor which stands in the way of success is the want of interest and of personal initiative. In this way, if it is not constantly being spurred again into life, one's own mental activity slowly becomes dormant as a result of the unavoidable frictions of everyday life. In this the vis inertia, which adheres so tenaciously to the larger portion of the populace, plays a determining role. The man who attempts to hypnotize in an automatic sort, of way, following out a preconceived scheme, will rapidly fail to have results to record as soon as the fascination of the novelty of the thing has passed off, especially if he does not take any intelligent trouble over it He 179 will go to sleep himself more and more, and his patients will be influenced less and leas.

A second factor which prevents success is mistrust, nervousness, fear that others will laugh at him, fear that the hypnotized person will simulate, and misgivings and doubts of all kinds. This second factor, which at first is the most formidable, disappears as soon as one gains experience, and then the first factor makes itself felt to the full extent, and must continuously be combated. One can frequently notice, when one is depressed or tired, that one achieves fewer results, for this weakness of the hypnotist is unconsciously recognized by the brain dynamisms of the hypnotized.

One should approach the person to be hypnotized, as Bern-heim advises, quite naturally and intent on one's purpose; one explains to him that there is nothing unnatural or uncanny about the procedure, but that it is a characteristic of the nervous system which applies to everybody; one says that he will readily be influenced or fall to sleep. One should avoid long speeches and explanations, and the patient or subject is placed in a comfortable easy-chair. It is best if the chair has no arms, or, failing this, if the arms are well upholstered. The chair is so placed that one Bide is touching a perpendicular wall, so that one can assist a suggestive catalepsy of the arm, of which one is not quite certain, by leaning the arm against the wall.

One should enjoy the trust and inclination of the person to be hypnotized as far as is possible, or attempt to gain these.

O. Vogt (see Chapter IV) states that he accustoms his patients to the "rapport" consistently by very brief repeated hypnoses, after which he makes them relate their sensations exactly. In this way he strangles unpleasant autosuggestions in the bud, and at the same time joins his following suggestions to the innocent suggestive results. He avoids, above all things, giving suggestions in such a way that the patient does not realize them at once, or, at all events, soon, and thus prevents, as I do also, awakening or strengthening the idea " that it does not succeed with him." At first he only hints at the occurrence of some phenomenon or other, and only suggests this more forcibly after he has noticed the beginnings of the occurrence himself, or learns of it by the statements of the patient. He avoids a commanding tone of voice, so that those who do not want to lose the "freedom of will" shall not be disturbed. The phenomena of suggestion should be represented, especially to educated persons, as arising quite naturally out of themselves. I entirely approve of this method, and had already employed it, although not quite so consistently.

One should further avoid that the person to be hypnotized is mentally stimulated or excited, or that he is anxious or in a condition of expectant tension. The last-named spoils the first hypnosis in a large number of people, and especially in the educated, who imagine all sorts of wonderful things, and expect them to take place. Some persons are afraid that they cannot be hypnotized, and, in consequence, give themselves this autosuggestion, which is frequently extremely difficult to overcome. In this case patience and various tricks must be employed. The first attempt under these conditions frequently fails. One then explains to the person that he was too excited for the moment, that he was taking too keen an interest in the procedure, but that he was already influenced. Sleep was by no means necessary for the action to be attained, and it would come later of its own account. One then speaks only of light dozing, etc. Once, after I had exhausted all my tricks in this way without result with a lady, I appointed another time for her to come to see me, allowed her to get up, and put on her hat, coat, and gloves, and then I got up too, and said to her, apparently without any ulterior motive, "Sit down again for a moment"; and, with a few rapid and definite suggestions, she was hypnotized in a few seconds.

In many cases of this kind the hypnotizing of another person in the presence of the person to he hypnotized acts advantageously. The intention of this, however, must not be noticed, or else the action will be lost.

I wish, on the whole to recommend the method according to Liebeault-Wetterstrand, which I shall describe presently - the collective hypnotizing.