CHAPTER IX

CONCLUSIONS-THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The Hypothetical Magnetic Fluid. — Histionic Suggestion competent to explain all the Facts of Mesmerism.—This Form of Suggestion the most effective as a Therapeutic Agency. It may operate independently of the Volition of the Patient. The Nerve Terminals the Means provided by Nature for the Transmission of Histionic Suggestions.—The Spinal Column the Guide to one Set of Terminals, and Pain the Guide to the other. This Process of Treatment available to all.

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AVING now definitely ascertained the existence of a law of mental medicine hitherto unrecognized, it remains to inquire what conclusions, practical and theoretical, are derivable therefrom. The first conclusion is in reference to its bearing upon the question of mesmerism. It is obvious at a glance that the old theory of fluidic emanations, or animal magnetism, so called, is, to say the least, unnecessary. And it is an axiom of science that an unnecessary theory is necessarily wrong.

The theory of fluidic emanations has held its place in the minds of a large number of people simply for the want of a rational hypothesis that would otherwise explain the phenomena; and this, notwithstanding the fact that it accounts for but a very small portion of them, and fails entirely in the most vital and essential particulars. Thus, the fact that concentration of mind on the part of the healer is essen

tial to success reveals the fact that the process of healing is a purely mental one, and is not due to a fluidic emanation from the healer in the nature of magnetism. In fact, Deleuze, the ablest of the old writers on the subject of mesmerism, and an advocate of the magnetic theory, admitted that the existence of the hypothetical magnetic fluid was far from being demonstrated. Nor did he seem to regard it as possible to demonstrate its existence. On the contrary, in his work on "Instruction in Animal Magnetism (Hartshorn's translation), he begins by laying down

thirty-four "general principles " of animal mag

netism, upwards of twenty of which exclude the magnetic theory. That is to say, the great bulk of his general principles presupposed a definite mental condition, and prescribed a specific mental attitude, on the part of the healer, as prerequisites to successful work. It is needless to say that these are conditions as far removed as possible from those which one would naturally suppose to be requisite under the theory of fluidic emanations. To say the least, both theories are unnecessary. Both theories, therefore, under the law of parsimony, cannot be true. We must, therefore, make a choice between the theory of fluidic emanations, or animal magnetism, and that of the transmission of intelligence by means of physical contact, or histionic suggestion, - provided, of course, that one of the hypotheses is competent to explain all the facts. Otherwise both must be rejected.

Without stopping to argue the question further, I assume that I have already shown that the hypothesis of histionic suggestion is clearly competent to

explain all the facts of mesmerism, and remove all that is mysterious in its phenomena from the domains of mysticism and superstition. If it is capable of this task, it follows that all cognate phenomena are explicable under the same hypothesis; and these comprise a vast congeries of the most important psychic phenomena that have puzzled man and filled him with superstitious dread throughout all the ages.

It would be a work of supererogation to attempt to classify all the various phases of these phenomena. The intelligent reader has already done so for himself, as the application of the principles is perfectly obvious. I cannot refrain, however, from remarking upon the subject in its relations to mental medicine. The first thing to be observed is that this law does not conflict with the psychological aspects of mental medicine as developed in Part I. of this book. That is to say, the Law of Suggestion is the dominant energy which controls therapeutic action in all cases. Histionic suggestion is merely another form of suggestion, and it is, I venture to assert, the most effective of all methods or forms of that agency.

From a historical point of view the theory of histionic suggestion is invested with transcendent interest and importance. The wonderful cures effected through all the ages by the laying on of hands has hitherto found no scientific explanation beyond that afforded by the theory of oral suggestion. The same may be said of the phenomena produced by mesmeric processes. It is now seen, however, that a potent energy is released by physical contact, and made available for healing the sick. It is the most potent form of suggestion known, for the reason that it

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may operate independently of the volition of the patient. This would seem, at first glance, to form an exception to the rule that the faith of the patient is always essential to success in mental healing. The fact is, however, that it is merely a question of degree. That is to say, the mental energy of the healer is transmitted directly or indirectly through the nerves to the seat of the disease; and the active co-operation of the subjective mind of the patient is not always essential, a state of passivity being all that is required. This is easily secured in therapeutical cases; for one is not prone to active opposition to the restoration of his health, even though his judgment may regard the means as of doubtful efficiency. It was this fact that enabled Jesus, in his native village, to heal the sick by the laying on of hands, although he failed to do many wonderful works in that city "because of their unbelief.”

And this is why children too young to be affected by the ordinary forms of suggestion are peculiarly susceptible to mesmeric treatment or treatment by the laying on of hands. The old mesmerists, indeed, claimed to be able to heal domestic animals by mesmeric passes or by the laying on of hands. It was upon this assertion that one of their strongest arguments for the magnetic theory was built. "It could not be a mental impression," they urged, "because neither animals nor young children were able to understand the import of a mental suggestion." But this argument falls to the ground in view of the well-ascertained fact that emotional and therapeutic impulses can be conveyed by thought-transference in cases where it is impossible to transmit an intelligible mes

sage involving the use of words. The Society for Psychical Research, in the course of their investigations, established this fact beyond a doubt; and Ochorowicz, in his monumental work on Mental Suggestion, has demonstrated the same proposition.

It will thus be seen that histionic suggestion is by far the most powerful of all the forms in which that agency can be employed, because it is the most direct and most positive.

The question remains, What facilities has nature provided for the transmission of histionic suggestions? The success which the laying on of hands has met with in all the ages would seem to indicate that the exact process of healing by those methods is a matter of indifference; that is to say, it would seem that physical contact with almost any part of the body would be effective. To a certain extent this is undoubtedly true. That is to say, contact with any nerve in the body places the operator in communication, directly or indirectly, with every other nerve in the body; and therapeutic impulses may therefore be conveyed from any point of contact. Nevertheless, there is always a right way and a wrong way of doing anything. It is obvious that the best way to convey a therapeutic impulse to an affected part of the body is to follow the lines of least resistance; these lines are undoubtedly those that reach the affected part most directly. It follows that some knowledge of anatomy is very useful to the operator in determining the best method of procedure. Fortunately, however, nature has provided a means by which any one may obtain a practical knowledge sufficient to enable him to practise histionic suggestion in the most