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certain kind of testimony. A reply to this is given, that after the witness is examined by one lawyer the lawyer on the other side has a right of course to examine him, and thus a counter-suggestion would be given, and when two suggestions are made, they restore him to the normal condition. But after all, the result is that the testimony of that person is made altogether useless, and moreover his mental nature has been disturbed by the two suggestions, and in that way he may again follow the snggestion of the hypnotist and may become weaker and weaker every day. We know that the freedom of thought or liberty of thought is the first condition of growth. The American people would not have enjoyed the happiness or rather the benefits which can be derived from a free government, unless they had these free institutions, but if they had to follow the suggestion of a king or emperor, they would not have been in the condition of freedom in which they are. is the rule not by one person but by certainly human reason will tell us that every one must rule himself. We must all study the law of selfgovernment; but hypnotism is the government of one person by another. So from all these standpoints it is objectionable, just as poisons are objectionable. I do not make this statement as if hypnotism were an absolute evil, for as poisons are valuable sometimes, so also hypnotism is valuable sometimes. While it may be true, that a person will not obey a suggestion to commit a crime, because of a stronger suggestion in his
If the object
the people,
HYPNOTISM
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