Unlike the ' peculiar people,' who often figure in the courts as having contributed to their children's deaths by refusing to call in medical assistance in illness, the Christian Scientists appeal to the wealthy and cultured classes both in America, the country of its birth, and in England, and it is quite extraordinary the vogue it has under Christian Science treatment. The healer mistook the disease for mumps, and used no material remedies. After some severe remarks by the Judge on the folly of people preferring quackery to scientific medicine, the prisoner was found guilty, and bound over to come up for judgment if called upon; his fate, therefore, being much better than that of many unfortunate ' peculiar people' whose conviction and punishment one sometimes reads of in the newspapers.

The Rev. Drs. Worcester and McComb, of Emmanuel Church, Boston, U.S.A., have for some years carried on a most successful system of mind-cure and hygiene, in cooperation with the best doctors of the city. The two professions felt the need of making a united effort to combat Christian Science in its stronghold. The clergy take no fees, and only act under medical supervision. The Rev. Mr. Waldron, vicar of Brixton, directs a similar movement in his parish, and there is an attempt being made to restore the practice of unction for the sick, not to be confounded with extreme unction for the dying.

I have frequently succeeded, following Dr. de Lagrave's hints, in awakening at a predetermined moment, and no doubt anyone with a little practice will be able to do the same thing; but I imagine that the other effects of autosuggestion which he relates are only to be attained by hysterical or neuropathic subjects.

Such experiments afford additional proof of the correctness of Bernheim's theory, that in hypnotism it is the patient who hypnotizes himself, and that it is the evocation of his own forces (under the stimulus of suggestion) which constitutes the curative agency in the treatment. Surely this is a better and nobler conception of the power in every way than that current before Braid's time, and still held by unscientific ' magnetizers,' which would have us believe is a subtle fluid passing from operator to subject.

* I was recently asked by a medical friend to investigate the claims of a mental ' healer,' and I consented to let him try on one of my patients. The healer's method was to make the patient recline at ease in a chair and reason with him as to the needlessness of suffering and pain. He got him into a hypnoidal state by this means, and then sat in silence by his side ' holding the thought of cure in his mind.' The patient was not benefited. This healer had the theory that disease was caused by the obsession of evil-discarnate spirits, and they had to be cast out. He had quite a large practice, and when addressed as ' doctor' once replied that he was not a doctor, but a healer, adding that doctors did not heal but only treated their patients. Another very prosperous healer I have met is a retired army colonel. He also thinks disease proceeds from spirit obsession. To remove it he stands opposite the patient, and makes violent gestures of expulsion, accompanied by commands given with military directness and energy.

I find many people one would never suspect hanker after quackery, and only call in orthodox doctors when they have suffered in health and pocket from the operations of quacks.

Dr. Byrom Bramwell, speaking of the important part voluntary effort plays in cases of paralysis, instances that of the late Mr. Horatio Ross, a celebrated sportsman.† 'When some eighty-two years of age, Mr. Ross was attacked with hemiplegia, which was, perhaps, embolic. He was seen by a distinguished neurologist in London, who, considering the advanced age of the patient and the very serious nature of the attack, gave a very unfavourable opinion, saying that he would never use his arm again. Shortly afterwards he came to Edinburgh, and placed himself under the care of Dr. Foulis, who had previously attended him. When he consulted Dr. Foulis, the paralysis of the arm, though not absolute, was very great; the legs, as is usually the case, had to a much greater extent recovered.

'Dr. Foulis, who is a firm believer in the beneficial effects which frequently repeated voluntary efforts produce in cases of paralysis, explained to Mr. Ross the importance of making frequent and systematic efforts to throw the paralyzed muscles into voluntary contraction. Mr. Ross, who was a man of iron will as well as (in his younger days) of iron muscles, fully appreciated the rationale of this method of treatment, and set himself diligently and with firm determination to carry it into effect. Many times every day he endeavoured to perform each of the individual movements which the hand, forearm, and arm are capable of making. The paralyzed muscles soon began to regain some power, and each day, and almost all day, he diligently practised some form of muscular movement. I was asked to see him some two months after he had commenced this treatment, with the object of advising whether electricity would be beneficial. He had then regained considerable movement in the paralyzed arm and much more in the leg.

He continued to practise his muscular gymnastics, and in the course of three or four months he had practically recovered; he could, in fact, make such good use of his paralyzed arm that, on the following 12th of August, he was able to get on to the moor and actually to shoot several brace of grouse.'

* The alleged discovery of N rays by Dr. Blondlot, of Nancy, a few years ago gave believers in animal magnetism great satisfaction, for in these emanations from nerve structures in action they saw the vindication of their claims. Unfortunately for them, Sir W. Crookes and other scientific investigators consider the evidence altogether illusory.

† Studies in Clinical Medicine,' vol. i., No. 6.

Dr. Bramwell attributes Mr. Ross's rapid recovery to the exercise of the will-power, as each voluntary effort tends to act as a stimulus which travels along the damaged nerve tract and forms a path for motor impulses.

In support of this theory he reminds us that after facial paralysis the orbicularis palpebrarum is the first muscle to recover its tone, on account, he thinks, of its great functional activity. In consequence of the immense number of times each day the reflex stimulus from the conjunctiva - inclination to wink - is applied, the nerve tract is continually being stimulated by impulses which endeavour to force their way through the lesion, and this repeated stimulation leads to rapid repair of the damaged nerve fibres.

The important part will-effort and concentration of purpose play in muscular development and renovation of tissue is seen in Swedish gymnastics, and in the method practised in America under the name of psycho-physical culture. We have much to learn of hypnotism as a stimulator of effort and arouser of the will; it is in this direction the power should be used, and not as a supplanter or enfeebler of individuality.