PSYCHICAL RESEARCH, 5 BOYLSTON PLACE, THE HONORABLE DON MANUEL DICKINSON IN GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF A FRIENDSHIP THAT, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME EXCEEDING THE AVERAGE LIFE OF MAN, HAS KNOWN NO VARIABLENESS OR SHADOW OF TURNING, This Book IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED T PSYCHICAL RESEARCH, 5 BOYLSTON PLACE, BOSTON, MASS. PREFACE HE object of this book is, primarily, to assist in placing mental therapeutics on a firmly scientific basis, and incidentally to place within the reach of the humblest intellect the most effective methods of healing the sick by mental processes. Part I. contains nothing new to the scientific world, except, perhaps, the method of treatment. It pertains solely to the psychological principles of mental medicine. These were outlined in my first work, entitled "The Law of Psychic Phenomena," ten years ago, and they are now taught in every reputable school of suggestive therapeutics. The reader will find, however, that the subject is by no means exhausted, and that the law of suggestion is the most important factor in man's mental make-up. In Part II. the fact is for the first time recognized that no hypothesis can possibly embrace a complete science of mental therapeutics that fails to take cognizance of those facts of physiology and histology which pertain to the subject-matter. Necessarily, the subjective mind, when it exercises its powers over the body, in health and disease, operates through instrumentalities; that is to say, there must exist a physical mechanism through which the mind operates, and that mechanism must necessarily be adapted to its uses. Moreover, we might reasonably expect that the mechanism, when found, would be so obviously adapted to therapeutic uses as to leave no doubt in the mind of the investigator. Accordingly we find in man a physical structure so obviously adapted to the uses of mental healing that it leaves one in doubt whether or not all therapeutic agencies, in their ultimate analysis, may not be classed as mental. Be that as it may, it is obvious that a correlation of the facts of psychology and histology must lead to some very valuable discoveries, not alone in the field of mental therapeutics, but in all branches of inquiry where the control of the body by the mind is a factor. A few of these discoveries are outlined in the following pages. Without stopping to enumerate them in detail, I think I am justified in claiming to have thrown much light upon some very obscure problems; for instance, the method of healing which in ancient times was known as “the laying on of hands," and in modern times has been designated as "animal magnetism,' mesmerism," etc. I have also incidentally touched upon the problem of natural sleep, and I have tentatively suggested a solution of the world-old problem, What are the physical changes that produce the phenomenon of unconsciousness during natural sleep? If my hypothesis is correct on this question, it simplifies the whole subject-matter, and throws a flood of light upon hypnotism and all other forms of artificial sleep. 99 66 In pursuing my investigations of the physical sciences bearing upon the question of mental healing, I have been careful to confine myself to authori |