Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/403

 ALCOHOLIC HYPNOTISM 1^9

It is not true that the effect of intoxication may always be one and the same ; that the man who stands straight, walks, and performs certain acts with the appearance of reason cannot be essentially troubled in his consciousness and freewill, and should be regarded as responsible for all his actions.

Forgetfulness does not necessarily imply absolute unconscious- ness. Observation of facts concerning sleep demonstrate the contrary. We are conscious of having dreamed and vaguely conscious of the subject of the dream. If we fix our attention and immediately recall these memories, we can often put together the fragments of the dream. On the contrary, if upon awaking we follow our occupations, the light traces left in the memory by the subconscious activity of sleep are effaced by the conscious acts of waking. In making judgments of such cases one must take account of previous attacks of somnambulism. All incrimi- nating circumstances should be carefully established. In ques- tioning the witnesses the slightest signs of mental perturbation, such as expression of countenance, look, and attitude, should be noted. •

HYPNOTISM AS A REMEDY FOR ALCOHOLISM.

A great many cases of alcoholism cannot be cured by any method whatsoever. The claim of certain charlatans that they succeed in curing 90 to 95 per cent, of cases of this malady shows great dishonesty on their part as well as ignorance and credulity on the part of the public. Experience with many vaunted remedies has shown that, when they effect a genuine cure and not merely a temporary improvement, the result is due to sug- gestion, which is largely, though indirectly, fused in all these methods of treatment. In the cases cited in Lloyd-Tuckey hypnotism was almost exclusively used. Among the chief causes of alcoholism are :

Bad health, principally when it is accompanied by insomnia and neurasthenia.

Overwork, when the patient resorts to alcohol to stimulate his failing energies.

Anxieties and cares, which he seeks to forget temporarily ;