On Hypnotism

747. Its nature. 1. Hypnotism actively signifies the art of producing in another an artificial sleep and peculiar phenomena connected with this sleep; passively it signifies the complex of phenomena which are produced during hypnotic sleep.

The name of hypnotism was recently invented (by James Braid, d. 1860). The thing signified by this name was already known long ago, and as regards the matter hypnotism scarcely differs from animal magnetism or mesmerism, which at the beginning served only for curing diseases, except in the mode of inducing the state of sleep.

2. Hypnosis is the state of sleep more or less deep, from which the whole complex of phenomena received the name hypnotism. Concerning the nature of hypnosis authors indeed think diverse things; nevertheless one must assent to those who judge that hypnosis agrees essentially with natural sleep, but differs chiefly in this: that the hypnotized person is "suggestible," that is, depends on the hypnotizer and lies open to his influence, while the deliberate activity of the intellect and will ceases.

3. These two phenomena of hypnotism are chiefly distinguished:

a. Hypnosis or the state of sleep. From this sleep, into which he is cast by the hypnotizer in various ways, the hypnotized person is ordinarily called back only by the hypnotizer; but if he is not called back, after some time he returns to himself spontaneously. During this sleep he can converse with the hypnotizer as if he were in the state of waking; but once awakened he retains scarcely any memory of those things which had happened during the time of hypnosis.

b. Suggestion, which is the influence which the hypnotizer exercises on the hypnotized person, so that the hypnotized person is subjected in all things to the will and command of the hypnotizer, and executes accurately the things enjoined on him not only in the time of sleep but also afterwards. By the senses he perceives nothing else, yet he sees and hears the hypnotizer; the intellect, and especially the will, depends on the hypnotizer, so that at his nod it obeys blindly in almost all things; but these powers do not exercise another deliberate activity. Nevertheless if the sleep is not deep, the hypnotized person does not receive suggestions which are contrary to his conscience, but preserves his own will.

4. The end because of which hypnotism is exercised is manifold: a. it is employed by physicians to cure various diseases, especially of the nerves, and to numb the senses before a surgical operation; b. by artists (for example, by painters) to obtain for themselves a model (Modell) which may retain the same position for a long time and express the same internal affection by the arrangement of the face; c. by judges in criminal causes, so that from defendants or witnesses they may fish out confessions useful to themselves; d. by parents and teachers to aid education: for those things which are suggested to the hypnotized person in the time of hypnosis, he afterwards in the state of waking diligently executes, at least for some time, by force of a certain inclination retained from hypnosis; e. finally, hypnotism is exercised publicly before many for the sake of recreation and for feeding curiosity.

¹ Finlay, Der Hypnotismus (Aachen: Barth, 1892); Schutz, Der Hypnotismus (Fulda: Aktiendruckerei, 1907); Haan, Uber Hypnotismus (Stimmen aus M. Laach, Freiburg: Herder, 1890); W. Wundt, Hypnotismus u. Suggestion (Leipzig, 1892); Rissart, Der Hypnotismus (Paderborn: Junfermann, 1902).

748. Its phenomena seem to be natural. 1. There are not lacking those who think that the phenomena of hypnotism cannot be produced by natural powers, but are effected by preternatural powers; and since it is impious to presume divine influence in this matter, they attribute the whole of hypnotism to the demon.

By the name of hypnotism, spiritistic phenomena are also sometimes comprehended: for since from hypnotic phenomena there is an easy passage to spiritistic ones, these in reality are not rarely connected with those, especially since the demon easily mingles himself in things of this kind and drives men from natural things to superstitious ones. Authors who call hypnotism superstitious and diabolical seem also to signify spiritistic phenomena by the name of hypnotism.

2. Although the Church has not yet resolved the question concerning the origin of these phenomena, nevertheless it is established by the judgment of the Church that they are not certainly superstitious.

For from the response of the Holy Office, July 26, 1899, it is clear that the Holy See did not wish to resolve the question concerning the liceity of hypnotism and hypnotic suggestion; therefore it only determines the conditions under which experiments of this kind can be made, namely after a protestation has first been made that the agents do not wish to have any part in preternatural facts.

3. Both the phenomena themselves considered in themselves and the means by which they are produced do not seem to transcend the powers of nature.

a. For the phenomena themselves are either altogether the same or at least very similar to those which are also found outside hypnosis in the sick, in sleepers, in sleepwalkers, in those hallucinating or delirious; and these, although for the greater part extraordinary, are nevertheless certainly natural.

b. The means which are employed for producing either hypnosis or hypnotic phenomena are natural, and the forces of those means suffice for producing these effects: for the chief of these effects is suggestion, which chiefly consists in the influence of the hypnotizer on the imagination of the hypnotized person. By natural necessity the imaginations of the imagination are followed by inclinations of the sensitive appetite and of other powers, and by external activities which are consonant with them. Now in the state of waking all these activities are governed by intellect and will; but in the hypnotized person, in whom the superior powers do not exercise deliberate operation, they follow spontaneous impulses and the influence of the hypnotizer, as we also find similar things in sleepwalkers.

749. On its liceity. 1. Hypnotism of itself is illicit. a. It harms health: for from the testimony of physicians, by any exercise of hypnotism whatsoever, danger to health is induced; but frequently the health either of mind or of body actually suffers detriment, since the whole nervous system is more or less affected by hypnosis.¹

b. It is of itself opposed to natural honesty, and this in many ways: a. it is not lawful without just cause to deprive oneself in a violent mode of the use of reason; b. it is not lawful to subject one's will plainly to the judgment of another, so that someone can use and abuse at will another's will; c. it is not lawful to provide another an occasion of sinning; but the hypnotizer can abuse the hypnotized person for sinning, can investigate the secrets of his heart, suggest to him the persuasion of a crime, etc.; d. the hypnotizer can suggest to the hypnotized person a crime to be committed afterwards, which the latter then in the state of waking will commit, with liberty scarcely preserved.

2. Nevertheless it seems that it can licitly be employed under certain conditions for curing diseases (and for promoting science).

a. The conditions are the following: a. that detriment of health, as far as can be done, be forestalled, and therefore that hypnotism be exercised only by a physician skilled in this art.

b. That no other more suitable means of recovering health is available: for since hypnotism is dangerous of itself, it cannot be licitly employed except for excluding a greater evil than that which hypnotism can induce.

c. That it be certainly established that the hypnotizer will not abuse his power, which he can exercise over the will of the hypnotized person: for not even for a brief time is it lawful to submit one's will to the judgment of another unless it is established that the danger of any abuse whatever is excluded.

d. That the consent of the sick person be present, who without consent cannot, apart from injury, be deprived of the use of reason and free choice, nor be exposed to danger to health.

b. For curing diseases. Without a just cause it is not lawful to expose either oneself or others to danger of damage of body or soul; but besides health (and science), no other end contains a sufficient cause because of which the danger of spiritual or bodily damage can be induced.

Note. The salutary effects produced through hypnosis are called more into doubt day by day by more recent physicians. Physicians had already long affirmed that by this remedy organic diseases cannot be cured, but only affected and impeded functions of the nerves; but now, taught by experience, they grant that even bad affections of the nerves are only partly and for a time somewhat lessened, while the disease itself almost always returns.

c. Most authors absolutely forbid the use of hypnotism, as Ballerini-Palmieri, Villada, Franco, Bucceroni, Aertnys, Marc, Capellmann, etc. Yet Berardi and Genicot permit it not only, like Lehmkuhl and D'Annibale, for healing diseases, but also "for investigating the powers of nature," therefore for scientific ends. This must be granted, supposing the consent of the person to be hypnotized, if it is morally certain that from hypnosis there threatens only the danger of damage which can easily be repaired.

Note. Let all these things be said concerning suggestion which happens in the state of hypnosis or artificial sleep: for suggestion which happens either in the state of waking or during natural sleep is immune from the damages about which there was discussion above, and therefore can be licitly employed, provided the things which are suggested are honorable and useful.

¹ Cf. Finlay, p. 52 ss. Therefore it has happened that public hypnotism has been wholly forbidden by most governments, and the use of private hypnotism restricted.