"S'pose success don't come at fust;
What be you goin' to dew?

Throw up the sponge and kick yourself,
An' go to feelin' blue?

Uv course you ain't; your goin' to fish,
An' bait, an' bait agin;

Bimeby success will bite your hook,

And you will pull him in."

"The power of mental concentration is a most desirable one, and yet it will prove a source of distress unless properly disciplined. The hysterical patient belongs to the wronglyconcentrating class. She sets her thought upon morbid sensations and unwholesome concepts. The most pronounced types of hysteria are oftentimes manifested in those of much mental and physical strength. They are examples of energy going to waste. They are the most obdurate class of patients. Convergent mental strabismus in women of strong volition and developed mind can be relieved only by clever management and oft-repeated suggestions of a graded character. These patients can be cured, but much time and effort are required to effect the desired result."-Leavitt.

Let this be your teaching: "Anticipate nothing but good in the future. Burn all doleful prophecies; they are lies. Some evil must befall you, but those about which you are certain will never come true. The Devil is no prophet." -Frank C. Haddock.

In a recent number of the British Medical Journal this frank admission is found: "Disease of the body is so much influenced by the mind that in each case we have to understand the patient quite as much as the malady. This is not learnt in hospitals."

CHAPTER VI.

THE PRACTICE OF MENTAL METHODS-CONTINUED.

NON-ROUTINE SUGGESTIVE TREATMENT.

Thus far we have considered mainly a physician's routine treatment and have pointed out certain features of it peculiarly open to the adaptation of psychic impression. Now we will turn to more pronounced suggestion and offer certain modes of treatment, the effect of which has been repeatedly verified.

But before entering upon a detailed relation of these it will be well to refer again to some principles of treatment that deserve to be emphasized.

It has elsewhere been said that a suggestion, to be most effective, should be given with energy and impressiveness. This feature of treatment is all-important. I shall not attempt to do more than lay down general rules of procedure, indicating certain features of treatment that have given me good results

Darkness.

Mind readers claim they succeed better in their tests when blindfolded than when mov

ing and reading with open eyes. The eyes of the clairvoyant are usually closed when she is "reading." Why? Because distracting sights are shut out by darkness. They would probably do better still with the sense of hearing dulled through muffling.

In concentrating the mind we seek to get as far away from the sense vibrations as possible. I often find myself closing my eyes when making a tactual examination of patients, and even when sitting alone in thought. In shutting the eyes we bar out much of the distracting world of physical phenomena and enter the realm of shadow, which we proceed to people according to our fancy.

In pursuance of this theory and to insure the banishment of all diverting sights, we may put the patient into a dark room, or we may insist on closed eyes.

With the avenues of vision in some such way shut off, the mind of the patient has less material upon which to operate and is more easily concentrated upon the suggestions that may be given.

The suggestions themselves can be most conveniently given by word of mouth, the utterance being slow and distinct, bearing to the sense of the patient an impression of sincerity and truth. Since the mind of one who is ill has less than the average amount of stability, attention is easily diverted. Accordingly it will be found advisable to occasionally recall the possibly wandering thought by sharp and forcible commands, like, "Listen," "Now hearken," "Notice what I say," etc. It is well to repeat a suggestion in the identical words, time and again, so that the ear may hold, and later reiterate to the subconsciousness, what the consciousness does not at the moment fully comprehend.

The suggestions are given much greater force also by a few introductory remarks in the way of preparation for what is to follow. Dilate, if you

please, on the wretchedness of present conditions and give positive assurance of the restoration to ensue. Explain briefly the manner of its coming, in relief of pain and an increasing sense of health stealing into every part. Health is to grow out of unwholesome conditions; light is to dispel darkness; faith is to supplant despondency; and the fruits of the Spirit of Life are to become manifest.

The character of the talk will be determined largely by the intelligence of the subject. The healer's success will depend in great measure on his ability to interpret his patient's character and to supply his peculiar needs.

While in the darkness, an affirmation may be fastened in the mind by turning focused rays of light upon a slate or chart, whereon, in plain letters, the affirmation appears. One can readily fancy the effect of this when the written or printed suggestion is tersely put.

FIGURE 14. Slate with Sample Suggestion.

Another method of impressing, well adapted to office practice, is the use of the graphophone.

The physician can make his own records, and, with slight expense, provide records specially suited to individual cases.

The procedure is made most effective by use of the tubes. The words then come as though spoken loudly into the ears, and the impression is correspondingly strong.

The same machine can thus be used both to soothe and to excite. It is capable of giving most pronounced suggestive aid to those who are not only confined to the bed, but even those who are objectively unconscious. For certain

cases it is serviceable in office practice.

A helpful suggestion repeated again and again cannot fail to contribute much aid in the cure of disease.

Close the Patient's Eyes..

It is not always either advisable or possible to treat patients in a dark room. Fortunately we are able in other ways to shut out diverting and distracting sights.

For ordinary office treatment I deem it best to seat the patient in a chair with a moderately low back. The physician should then take a position behind the patient and lay his hands upon the forehead and eyes. The position is convenient, modest, and, I may add, commanding. It is one that the most sensitive woman would not object to. It is the most desirable position for suggestive treatment, whether the intention be to give the suggestions with, or without, hypnosis.

Suggestion by Manipulation.

One of the most popular methods of administering suggestion is that com