Neurypnology

The next cases I shall refer to, are those of permanent contraction or tonic spasm. The following are interesting examples of this form of disorder, and the success of hypnotism in the treatment of them.

Case LXIV Mr J. O. 21 years of age, called on me 1st October, 1842, complaining of a pain in the left temple, a continual noise in the left ear, with occasional shoots of pain, and the hearing of that ear very imperfect. He complained also of inability to open the mouth so as to enable him to take his food comfortably, and that mastication caused great pain, so that he frequently felt compelled to decline taking his meals. Complaints had been coming on since previous Easter, and were becoming worse, notwithstanding he had been under the care of two medical men up to the day before he called on me. That day, 10th October, 1842, he could not eat breakfast but, with great difficulty, and had been compelled to take rice and milk for dinner for two days, as he could eat nothing solid. I found he could not permit the mouth to be opened more than half an inch without great pain and difficulty, and besides the dulness of hearing already referred to, I found he had also very imperfect sight of the left eye, which I tested very accurately. He had not been aware of this until I called his attention to it. I hypnotized him for about eight minutes, during which I was enabled to open the mouth till the front teeth were nearly two inches asunder, and he experienced no inconvenience from me doing so. On being aroused, all the pain in the temple was gone; he could himself separate the teeth one inch and three quarters, as accurately measured, in presence of four very intelligent gentlemen who had been present during the operation; and he could move the jaws with the most perfect freedom and without pain. The hearing was also much better, and the sight of the left eye also most remarkably improved. 2d October, called on him again, when he stated he had been enabled to eat a good supper after he left me the night before, and to take his breakfast and dinner with perfect comfort to himself; that his hearing was much better; and the sight of both eyes as nearly as possible equal. He had had no pain in the temple since he was operated on, unless when the mouth was opened to the utmost extent, and even then t was trifling. He could now open the mouth to nearly one inch and three quarters, before being operated on to-day, and after the operation, to the extent of two inches, that is, the front teeth were two inches apart.

This patient called on me a few days after to be operated on a third time, and retained the improvement noted above. He was to call again if he had any relapse, bit as he has not done so, I conclude he continues quite well, and it is how nearly seven months since I last saw him.

I shall now refer to other cases of spasmodic affection, which are most interesting, as they afford us strong grounds to hope that Tetanus, Hydrophobia, and other analogous affections, may be arrested and cured by this agency.

Case LXV. A girl was seized with violent tonic spasm of the right hand and arm, and side of the face. A respectable surgeon was consulted, who ordered a blister to the nape of the neck, medicine, fomentation, and liniments to the parts affected. The symptoms became more urgent, and they sent for the surgeon again, but as he was out, and as they were much alarmed, I was consulted. The blister had been applied, but the medicines had not