Book Report: Medical Hypnotism and Suggestion by Alexander (Alexr) Verner

 Alexander (Alexr) Verner is listed as the "founder and Principal of the British Psychological Institute." I have not been able to find much information about Verner or the British Psychological Institute (there is a British Psychological Society, but apparently unrelated). Verner appears to have been an author of a number of small, straightforward booklets on metaphysical and New Thought topics including, "How to Converse with Spirit Friends," "Table tapping and Spirit Writing," "Medical Hypnotism and Suggestion." He appears to have been British, writing at the turn of the 20th century, around the height of the New Thought Spiritual movement. His booklets were sold in America through William Walker Atkinson's Yogi Publication Society. I can't help but wonder if Verner is actually one of Atkinson's many Pen-names. 

This one was of particular interest to me as a hypnotist. While no copyright date is given, the work is clearly the product of the late 19th century. despite the title, it is actually an outline of Mesmerism, which is different. In the brief outline of the history of hypnosis, he indicates the three major schools of the 19th century: Liebault, Charcot and Mesmer. (Modern hypnosis comes principally from Liebsault and his Nancy school. In the 20th. century
Elman and Erickson would become the defining voices for hypnotism). He also refers to Phrenological term, a debunked science of brain anatomy based on the shape of the skull and brain underneath. 

The author claims to have studied with a number of 19th century experts in the field, including Dr. Herbert Parkyn of Chicago, a Dr. Dtayton of the Eclectic Medical College, and several other experts in New York and on the Ward's Island Insane Asylum (!) 

The book gives a concise outline of the procedure of Mesmerism, which includes making "magnetic passes" with the hands up and down the length of the subject's body. Passing downward puts people into trance and upward to dispel it. He recommends half-hour sessions several times a week until trance is achieved. (Other authors have indicated that Mesmerism is a slow process). Mesmerism is more akin to faith healing or Reiki healing, believing that the Mesmerist projects a "magnetic fluid" from his hands towards the subject to effect cures. 

He touches on the basics of induction, some applications for stage hypnosis, methods for diagnosing and treating medical conditions (He does caution to be sure client is also examined by a doctor). One of the odder things is directions for inducing a week-long trance, which was apparently something like a modern medically-induced-coma, Presumably for more rapid recovery form some trauma (The author acuatally doesn't indicate why you'd want to put someone in a trance for a week, but he does suggest the client consume certain substances that will cause constipation, so the need for a bathroom won't wake the subject up). 

There's a chapter on "autosuggestion" which is to say, using repeated affirmations in order to change one's bad habits and poor health. These are pretty basic.

For a little booklet of 37 pages it covers a lot of interesting elements of a now mostly-forgotten practice, but it's probably not enough for an aspiring practitioner to work with.