Hypnosis: A Brief History

Illustrations x

Preface xi

Chapter 1 Trilby and Svengali 1

The Hypnotic Relation 2

The Nature of Hypnosis 6

Assessing the Myths of Hypnosis 8

From Trilby to Svengali 9

Chapter 2 Animal Magnetism and Magnetic Sleep 12

Origins of Animal Magnetism 13

Magnetism and Exorcism 15

Practicing Magnetism 17

Magnetism Assailed 20

Mesmerism Transformed 23

From Animal Magnetism to Magnetic Sleep 24

Chapter 3 Magnetism and Hypnosis 31

Fluidism and Animism 32

Mesmerism at University College Hospital 35

Magnetism in Parlor and Sickroom 39

Mesmeric Anesthesia 40

Neurohypnology 43

From Magnetism to Hypnosis 46

Chapter 4 Body and Soul 54

Mesmerism in the United States 55

Phrenomagnetism and Electrobiology 57

Mesmerism and Spiritualism 61

Mesmerism and Swedenborgianism 63

New Thought and Christian Science 66

From Body to Soul 70

Chapter 5 Salpêtrière and Nancy 76

Hypnosis at the Salpêtrière 77

The Nancy Approach to Hypnosis 81

The Fall of Hypnosis 84

Hypnosis outside the Mainstream 87

From Salpêtrière to Nancy 92

Chapter 6 Laboratory and Clinic 98

Hypnosis Research in the Early Twentieth Century 99

Hypnosis Research during the World Wars 103

Psychological Healing in the Early Twentieth Century 106

The Resurgence of Clinical Hypnosis 108

The Rise of Popular Hypnosis 111

From Laboratory to Clinic 113

Chapter 7 State and Trait 120

Neodissociation Theory 121

Altered State Theories 123

Non-State Theories 126

Convergence in the State/Non-State Debate 130

The Trait Debate 133

From State to Trait 134

Chapter 8 Memory and Identity 143

Repression of Traumatic Memory 144

Hypnosis and Memory 147

Dissociation and Traumatic Memory 148

Challenges to the Posttraumatic Model 150

Hypnosis and Dissociation of Identity 152

From Memory to Identity 156

Chapter 9 Present and Future 166

Medical Applications of Hypnosis 167

Psychotherapeutic Applications of Hypnosis 169

Unanswered Questions in the Trait Debate 173

Unanswered Questions in the State Debate 177

From the Present to the Future 178

References 187

Index 213