按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rs at a time； during which it was impossible to waken him。 This attack lasted eight or nine months； but in 1848 there was a recurrence accompanied by a slight trismus which lasted over eighteen months； and again in 1860 he was subjected to periods of sleep lasting over twenty…four hours at a time。 Blaudet describes a young woman of eighteen who slept forty days； and again after her marriage in her twentieth year she slept for fifty days； it was necessary to draw a tooth to feed her。 Four years later； on Easter day； 1862； she became insensible for twelve months； with the exception of the eighth day； when she awoke and ate at the table； but fell asleep in the chair。 Her sleep was so deep that nothing seemed to disturb her； her pulse was slow； the respirations scarcely perceptible； and there were apparently no evacuations。
Weir Mitchell collected 18 cases of protracted sleep； the longest continuing uninterruptedly for six months。 Chilton's case lasted seventeen weeks。 Six of the 18 cases passed a large part of each day in sleep； one case twenty…one hours； and another twenty…three hours。 The patients were below middle life； ten were females； seven males； and one was a child whose sex was not given。 Eight of the 18 recovered easily and completely； two recovered with loss of intellect； one fell a victim to apoplexy four months after awakening； one recovered with insomnia as a sequel； and four died in sleep。 One recovered suddenly after six months' sleep and began to talk； resuming the train of thought where it had been interrupted by slumber。 Mitchell reports a case in an unmarried woman of forty…five。 She was a seamstress of dark complexion and never had any previous symptoms。 On July 20； 1865； she became seasick in a gale of wind on the Hudson； and this was followed by an occasional loss of sight and by giddiness。 Finally； in November she slept from Wednesday night to Monday at noon； and died a few days later。 Jones of New Orleans relates the case of a girl of twenty…seven who had been asleep for the last eighteen years； only waking at certain intervals； and then remaining awake from seven to ten minutes。 The sleep commenced at the age of nine； after repeated large doses of quinin and morphin。 Periods of consciousness were regular； waking at 6 A。M。 and every hour thereafter until noon； then at 3 P。M。； again at sunset； and at 9 P。M。； and once or twice before morning。 The sleep was deep； and nothing seemed to arouse her。 Gairdner mentions the case of a woman who； for one hundred and sixty days； remained in a lethargic stupor； being only a mindless automaton。 Her life was maintained by means of the stomach tube。 The Revue d'Hypnotisme contains the report of a young woman of twenty…five； who was completing the fourth year of an uninterrupted trance。 She began May 30； 1883； after a fright； and on the same day； after several convulsive attacks； she fell into a profound sleep； during which she was kept alive by small quantities of liquid food； which she swallowed automatically。 The excretions were greatly diminished； and menstruation was suppressed。 There is a case reported of a Spanish soldier of twenty…two； confined in the Military Hospital of San Ambrosio； Cuba； who had been in a cataleptic state for fourteen months。 His body would remain in any position in which it was placed； defecation and micturition were normal； he occasionally sneezed or coughed； and is reported to have uttered some words at night。 The strange feature of this case was that the man was regularly nourished and increased in weight ten pounds。 It was noted that； some months before； this patient was injured and had suffered extreme depression； which was attributed to nostalgia； after which he began to have intermittent and temporary attacks； which culminated as related。 Camuset and Planes in January； 1896； mention a man who began to have grand hallucinations in 1883。 In March； 1884； he exhibited the first signs of sleep； and on March 10th it was necessary to put him to bed； where he remained； more or less continuously for three months； awakening gradually； and regaining his normal condition by the middle of June。 He was fed by hand three times daily； was placed on a night…chair； and with one exception never evacuated in bed。 Five months afterward he showed no signs of relapse。 The latest report of a 〃sleeping girl〃 is that of the young Dutch maiden； Maria Cvetskens； of Stevenswerth； who on December 5； 1895； had been asleep for two hundred and twenty days。 She had been visited by a number of men of good professional standing who； although differing as to the cause of her prolonged sleep； universally agreed that there was no deception in the case。 Her parents were of excellent repute； and it had never occurred to them to make any financial profit out of the unnatural state of their daughter。
Hypnotism。The phenomenon of hypnotism was doubtless known to the Oriental nations； and even to the Greeks； Romans； and Egyptians； as well as to other nations since the downfall of the Roman Empire。 〃The fakirs of India； the musicians of Persia； the oracles of Greece； the seers of Rome； the priests and priestesses of Egypt； the monastic recluses of the Middle Ages； the ecstatics of the seventeenth and early part of the eighteenth century exhibited many symptoms that were； and are still； attributed by religious enthusiasts to supernatural agencies； but which are explainable by what we know of hypnotism。 The Hesychasts of Mount Athos who remained motionless for days with their gaze directed steadily to the navel； the Taskodrugites who remained statuesque for a long period with the finger applied to the nose； the Jogins who could hibernate at will； the Dandins of India who became cataleptoid by 12；000 repetitions of the sacred word Om； St。 Simeon Stylites who； perched on a lofty pillar； preserved an attitude of saint…like withdrawal from earthly things for days； and even Socrates； of whom it was said that he would stand for hours motionless and wordlessall these are probable instances of autohypnotism。〃 （Gray。）
Hypnotism is spoken of as a morbid mental state artificially produced； and characterized by perversion or suspension of consciousness； and abeyance of volition； a condition of suggestibility leads the patient to yield readily to commands of external sense…impressions； and there is intense concentration of the mental faculties upon some idea or feeling。 There are several methods of inducing hypnosis； one of which is to give particular direction to the subject's imagination by concentrating the attention upon an arbitrary point； or by raising an image of the hypnotic state in the patient's mind。 The latter is most readily induced by speech。 Faria formerly strained the attention of the subject as much as possible； and suddenly called out； 〃Sleep！〃 This method has been used by others。 Physical methods consist of certain stimuli of sight； hearing； and touch。 Taste and smell have generally given negative results。 Fixation of the gaze has been the most successful； but the ticking of a watch has been used。 According to Moll； among uncivilized races particular instruments are used to produce similar states； for example； the magic drum's sound among the Lapps； or among other races th