Dr. Quimby discovered his theory of 'Mental Science' through experimenting with hypnotism. A boy whom he was hi the habit of hypnotizing pretended to diagnose disease while in the hyp notic state, and also prescribed a remedy. Dr. Quimby quickly discovered that the boy always named the disease in accordance with the belief of the patient, and also that the remedy pre seribed, although it might be a perfectly inert substance, effected a cure. From this he con cluded that it was the faith of the patient that was responsible for the cure. He therefore aban doned hypnotism and proceeded to explain his theory to his patients. When he succeeded in making them understand the doctrine. the cure followed. He had many patients. and is said to have wrought many cures. It did not occur to Quimby to try hypnosis on the patient, and it has remained for a group of men now living to show the great value of hypnotism in faith cures.
The hypnotist first puts his patient to sleep, in which condition he believes anything that is told him—just as in our ordinary dreams the most absurd situations are accepted without question. The faith of the hypnotized subject is perfect. for the reason that no doubts can possibly enter his mind. The method of treating disease is very simple. Having put the patient to sleep, the hypnotizer persistently assures him that he is getting well or is already well. The exact for mula is governed by the character of the disease. In severe or chronic cases he is usually content to declare at the first sitting that there will be improvement. and at future sittings he makes stronger assertions until he finally declares that the trouble is entirely removed and will not re turn. Hypnotism is the most scientific and the safest form of faith cure. Many people object to it from ignorance of the nature of hypnotism. But when it is understood that it is not the influence of one mind over another, and that one cannot be hypnotized against his will, this form of faith care will take its place as one of the regular methods of combating disease.
Besides these recognized forms, faith cure is an important element in cures wrought by patent medicines and nostrums, home remedies and folk practices. The advertisement, testimonial of friend. or family tradition arouses the faith of the sick man, and he conies to believe that he needs only to follow directions to Is- fully cured. The actual value of faith cure as a therapeutic Method has been the subject of much discussion. It eau no longer be denied that it has value. From divine healing to patent medicine and Father Kneipp's (q.v.) water cure, all cure dis ease. h:deII appeals to a particular type of mind, but the results are practically the same in all saine tlisca SeA cured. same successes, same fail ures. Many faith-eurists claim that all diseases in all persons can be cured by their method; others hold that the principle is of limited appli cation. Of them all, the hypnotists are the only ones do not make sweeping claims.
In estimating these claims, many things must be considered. It has never been proved that any disease which is incurable by ordinary methods has been cured by faith. Many claims are made,
but it is impossible to prove them. The difficul ties are well-nigh insurmountable. First is the (natter of diagnosis. No physician can be sure of his diagnosis in all eases. A man is sick: death proves that he was suffering from cancer: recovery shows that it was a non-malignant tumor. In consumption, the only infallible test is a microscopic examination. Next to diagnosis must be considered what is called medicalrix natimr—the healing power of nature or the nat ural tendency to recovery. Scientific studies of this subject have shown that the lists of faith cures contain a large percentage of eases that would have recovered without any treatment. Thirdly, the cure must be proved as well as the disease. Many a recovery is announced which proves to be only a temporary renewal of strength. When later the patient relapses, this is either not mentioned or is attributed to another cause. in addition to these difficulties, and complicating them, is the notorious untrustworthiness of human n testimony—the tendency to exaggeration and the infrequency of impartial judgment.
The actual cures. however, are sufficiently nu merous and sufficiently striking to need an ex planation. These different forms agree in only one point—viz. the mental state of the patient is one of hope and expectation. Can states of mind cause or cure disease? Some familiar occurrences seem to justify an affirmative answer. It is well known that certain glands and secretions are markedly affected by emotions. Fright causes the saliva to cease to flow and the perspiration to start. Sorrow causes the lachrymal glands to secrete tears. Happiness favors digestion. un happiness retards it. has demonstrated that the bladder is especially sensitive to emo tional states. In general, the pleasant emotions produce an opposite physical effect from the un pleasant ones. There are many glands within the body whose action under emotion we cannot observe; but we may reasonably assume that they also are affected by emotional states. Hence, if unpleasant emotions so act upon the glands as to derange the system and cause disease, the pleasant emotions may reasonably be assumed to tend to restore the normal functions. The vari ous forms of faith cure tend strongly to put. the patient in a happy frame of mind—a condition favorable to health. However. there are all de grees of faith and wide differences in the way the system responds to the emotional state. One person is slightly affected by a strong emotion: another is strongly affected by a weak emotion.
Hence, there must always be a wide difference in the results of faith-curs methods. The diseases most amenable to faith cure are nervous—includ ing many not recognized as neri:ous. but having a neural condition as their basis—and functional derangements. Organic diseases are not usually cured. though the symptoms are frequently ame liorated. Chronic diseases due to neuromuscular habit often yield to hypnotic treatment. See HYPNOTISM.