| Hypnosis has a definite value in the practice of | | | | difficulties which otherwise could not be attacked. |
| medicine, which was shown very early in its history, | | | | Also of paramount importance is the fact that the |
| and as medical men acquire a better understanding of | | | | hypnotized patient is in a receptive state for |
| psychology, its value will probably increase. In general | | | | psychotherapy. The difficulty involved in getting |
| practice the technique can be utilized to quiet and | | | | patients to accept therapeutic suggestions directly |
| reassure the patient and to establish that desirable | | | | constitutes the greatest obstacle in psychotherapy. |
| state of rapport between physician and patient . | | | | Hypnosis renders the person receptive. Indeed, as has |
| In Europe, particularly in Germany and France, it has | | | | been mentioned before, it is a state of enhanced |
| been used to some extent as a direct surgical aid in | | | | suggestibility. Consequently, by means of hypnotism it |
| both major and minor procedures. In certain patients it | | | | is possible to implant therapeutic ideas upon the |
| can be used as a substitute for drugs in producing | | | | subconsciousness and to have them take effect |
| anaesthesia, and since the time of Esdaille it has been | | | | when endless numbers of suggestions given in the |
| used repeatedly for this purpose. It has the advantage | | | | waking state would be given no heed or even actively |
| over anaesthetics of affording the patient peace of | | | | resisted. Thus the patient accepts hypnotic |
| mind, a sense of security and confidence, and it has no | | | | suggestions and acts upon them without conscious |
| afteraffects. However, even at the present day its | | | | awareness and without building defense reactions. In |
| application in the field of surgery should be limited | | | | so doing he allows them to become a valid part of his |
| properly to the minor field until the general medical | | | | mental patterns, all the more so since fundamentally, if |
| practitioner as well as the laity have a better | | | | not immediately, he does desire aid against his conflicts. |
| understanding of psychological manifestations. | | | | By this means patients can be given new mental |
| It has also been used successfully in obstetrics and | | | | equipment wherewith to deal with their difficulties, a |
| undoubtedly would be used much more if there were | | | | new equipment which does not have to pass the |
| not such a misapprehensive, fearful attitude toward it. | | | | protective scrutiny of their consciousness. |
| A primary objection to its use by the medical man, | | | | Hypnosis is not to be looked upon as panacea nor is it |
| remediable by proper study of the practice, is the | | | | to be discarded because it has definite limitations. On |
| difficulty experienced in inducing and maintaining | | | | the contrary, it is a valuable addition to the medical |
| trances. No hypnotists know for a certainty whether or | | | | armamentarium, most particularly to that of the |
| not they are going to succeed with a particular subject | | | | psychiatrist. |
| at a given time or whether their technique for the | | | | Perhaps the most fertile and productive application of |
| occasion will be sufficient for the maintenance of the | | | | hypnotism is in the sphere of experimental psychology. |
| trance. But this is more fortunate than otherwise, since | | | | More and more laboratories are becoming interested in |
| the therapeutic and medical application of hypnosis | | | | the peculiar and significant problems which hypnosis |
| should not be taken lightly or left in the hands of the | | | | renders available for study. This rapidly increasing |
| dilettante. | | | | interest in experimental hypnotism both in this country |
| In the field of psychological medicine, however, | | | | and abroad may be taken as an indication of a |
| hypnosis offers a unique approach to many mental | | | | growing realization of the fruitfulness of hypnosis as a |
| problems and difficulties. Its value lies in the fact that it | | | | field of scientific research. It constitutes almost a |
| allows the physician to approach directly the | | | | virginal territory for psychological investigations, and it |
| subconsciousness of the person with its disturbing | | | | appears to offer a good approach to an understanding |
| conflicts. It often serves as a gateway through his | | | | of many mental mechanisms which have hitherto |
| resistances and allows indirect approaches to many | | | | defied comprehension. |