Stage hypnosis

Stage hypnosis is hypnosis performed in

front of an audience for the purposes of
entertainment, usually in a theatre or club.
A modern stage hypnosis performance
typically delivers a comedic show rather
than simply a demonstration to impress
an audience with powers of persuasion.
Apparent effects of amnesia, mood
altering and hallucination may be
demonstrated in a normal presentation.
Stage hypnosis performances often
encourage audience members to look
further into the benets of hypnotism.[1]

The causes of behaviour exhibited by

volunteers in stage hypnosis shows is an
area of dispute. Some claim it illustrates
altered states of consciousness (i.e.,
"hypnotic trance"). Others maintain that it
can be explained by a combination of
psychological factors observed in group
settings such as disorientation,
compliance, peer pressure, and ordinary
suggestion. Others yet allege that
deception plays a part.
History
Stage hypnosis evolved out of much older
shows conducted by Mesmerists and
other performers in the 18th and 19th
centuries. Scottish surgeon James Braid
developed his technique of hypnosis after
witnessing a stage performance by the
travelling Swiss magnetic demonstrator
Charles Lafontaine (18031892) in
November 1841.[2][3][4]

Braid was well aware of similar

performances by "electro-biologists" in his
day;[5] e.g., Braid published the contents of
an advertising hand-bill for an "electro-
biology" performance by a visiting
American, George W. Stone,[6] on 12 March
1851, which, as well as clearly
emphasising that Stone was claiming to
use volunteers from the audience, rather
than his own stooges/assistants, details
some of the phenomena that Stone's
audience might have expected to have
displayed to them.

Persons in a perfectly wakeful

state, of well-known character
and standing in society, who
come forward voluntarily from
among the audience, will be
experimented upon. They will be
deprived of the power of speech,
hearing, sight. Their voluntary
motions will be completely
controlled, so that, they can
neither rise up nor sit down,
except at the will of the operator;
their memory will be taken away,
so that they will forget their own
name and that of their most
intimate friends; they will be
made to stammer, and to feel
pain in any part of their body at
the option of the operator a
 walking stick will be made to
appear a snake, the taste of water
will be changed to vinegar, honey,
coffee, milk, brandy, wormwood,
lemonade, etc., etc., etc. These
extraordinary experiments are
really and truly performed
without the aid of trick, collusion,
or deception, in the slightest
possible degree.[7]

These are identical to many of the

demonstrations which became central to
subsequent "stage hypnosis", in fact it
seems that little changes except the name
and the introduction of the hypnotic
induction, etc. Likewise, the novelist Mark
Twain similarly recounts a Mesmeric
performance which clearly resembles
20th century stage hypnosis, in his
autobiography.

The absence of any reference to

"hypnotism" in these early performances,
indeed before the term was coined, and
the fact that they often lacked anything
resembling a modern hypnotic induction
is consistent with the skeptical view, that
stage hypnosis is primarily the result of
ordinary suggestion rather than hypnotic
trance. Indeed, early performers often
claimed that they were influencing their
subjects by means of telepathy and other
supernatural powers.

Others, however, were delivering

performances that displayed the wide
range of hypnotic manifestations to their
audiences. In the United States, for
example, in the 1890s, there was a small
group of highly skilled stage hypnotists, all
whom were managed by Thomas F. Adkin,
who toured country-wide, playing to
packed houses. Adkin's group included
Sylvain A. Lee,[8] Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L.
Flint,[9] and Professor Xenophon LaMotte
Sage.[10]

20th century

Throughout the 20th century, despite

adopting the term "hypnotism", stage
hypnotists continued to explain their
performances to audiences by reference
to supernatural powers and animal
magnetism. Ormond McGill, e.g., in his
Encyclopedia of the subject wrote in 1996
that:
Some have called this powerful
transmission of thought from one
person to another "thought
projection". The mental energy
used appears to be of two types:
magnetic energy... generated
within the body and telepathic
energy generated within the
mind.... The two work together as
a unit in applying Power
Hypnosis. The operation of the
two energies in combination is
 what Mesmer referred to as
"animal magnetism".[11]

However, this is not what Braid meant by

"hypnotism", a term coined in opposition
to theories of Mesmerism, to stress the
fact that the results were due to ordinary
psychological and physiological
processes, such as suggestion and
focused attention, rather than telepathy or
animal magnetism. Indeed, after meeting
with Mr. Stone, experimenting with his
own subjects, and presenting his ndings
on such performances to the Royal
Institution, Braid concludes,
There is, therefore, both positive
and negative proof in favour of
my mental and suggestive theory,
and in opposition to the magnetic,
occult, or electric theories of the
Mesmerists and electro-
biologists. My theory, moreover,
has this additional
recommendation, that it is level
to our comprehension, and
adequate to account for all which
is demonstrably true, without
offering any violence to reason
 and common sense, or being at
variance with generally admitted
physiological and psychological
principles.[12]

However, modern stage performers often

continue to misuse the word "hypnosis" in
describing their shows and encourage
misconceptions about hypnotism by
confusing it with Mesmerism for dramatic
effect.

Skepticism


Catalepsy: "the human bridge".

Mesmeric and other stage performances

changed their names to "stage hypnotist"
in the 19th century. They had originally
claimed to produce the same effects by
means of telepathy and animal
magnetism, and only later began to
explain their shows in terms of hypnotic
trance and suggestion. Hence, many of
the precursors of stage hypnosis did not
employ hypnotic induction techniques.
Moreover, several modern stage
performers have themselves published
criticisms which suggest that stage
hypnosis is largely the result of sleight of
hand, ordinary suggestion, and social
compliance, etc., rather than hypnotic
trance. Most notably, the well-known
American magician and performer,
Kreskin, has frequently carried out typical
stage hypnosis demonstrations without
using any hypnotic induction. After
working as a stage hypnotist and
magician for nearly two decades, Kreskin
became a skeptic and a whistleblower
from within the stage hypnosis eld.
For nineteen years I had believed
in... the sleeplike "hypnotic
trance," practicing it constantly.
Though I had nagging doubts at
times, I wanted to believe in it.
There was an overpowering
mystique about putting someone
to sleep, something that set me
and all other "hypnotists" apart.
We were marvellous Svengalis or
Dr. Mesmers, engaged in a
supernatural practice of sorts.
 Then it all collapsed. For me
anyway.[13]

After experimenting with his own subjects

for several years until he was satised he
could perform "stage hypnosis" without
any hypnotic induction or trance, he
concluded, "The battle of semantics may
be waged for years, but I rmly believe
that what is termed 'hypnosis' is, again, a
completely normal, not abnormal,
response to simple suggestion." An
outspoken skeptic regarding stage
hypnosis, Kreskin not only actively
debunked stage hypnotists' claims, but
went so far as to offer a substantial
monetary reward, $25,000, to anyone who
could prove the existence of hypnotic
trance. The reward has been
unsuccessfully challenged three times.[14]
While debunking the "sleep-trance"
concept, Kreskin, like other skeptics
adopting the nonstate position, was keen
to emphasise that he felt the value of
hypnotic suggestion had been frequently
underestimated.

British stage hypnotist, Alex Tsander, has

made a rejection of belief in a "state of
hypnosis" a central feature of his
career.[15] Tsander, who was among 39
parties consulted by the UK Home Ofce
during their 1995-96 review of the
regulation of performance,[16] whilst
continuing to perform, since 1993, also
promoted a sceptical, social psychological
view in a series of books. In "The Art and
Secrets of Stage Hypnotism" [17] he
stressed a terminological distinction
between "hypnotism" and "hypnosis",
stating that "hypnotism is the art of
creating the illusion of hypnosis". Tsander
calls his show "I Can't Believe It's NOT
Hypnosis",[18] a title since adopted by
others. Tsander boldly states in publicity
that no participant is ever in a "state of
hypnosis". He argues, in "Beyond
Hypnosis",[19] that all activities that utilise
hypnotic protocols, such as in
hypnotherapy, are based in the cultural
influence of roles and schemas of what it
is to be hypnotised, ultimately created and
sustained through the impressions made
by stage hypnotists, manipulating social
psychological factors. As an extreme
illustration of this, Tsander has used the
example of Milton Erickson. Whilst
Erickson objected to stage hypnotism,
Tsander argued, in "Beyond Erickson" [20]
that the therapists reputation largely
depended upon live demonstrations and
that he was in effect a stage hypnotist. He
takes Erickson's own accounts of his
demonstrations and explains them in
terms of normal, social psychological
processes and interactions, requiring no
special phenomenon or hypnosis to
explain.

Tsander's actions have been counter

critiqued to the effect that he: "...has
repeatedly tried to show that "the human
bridge" phenomena created by stage
hypnotists is easily done without
hypnosis. However the photos of his
examples always show support under the
shoulders whereas stage hypnotists had
only the head supported. Perhaps this is
why his books and articles have received
little circulation, interest or comment".[21]
However, if we look at the classic archive
image shown above we indeed see
support spanning the top of the shoulders.
To do otherwise is feasible but foolish,
risking injury resulting from pressure
accentuated by moment of angle from the
length of the body supported. Indeed, as
Tsander himself emphasises, in the UK
under the 1996 Model Conditions,[22] the
routine, when entailing weight placed
upon the volunteer, is altogether forbidden
for reason of physical hazard. Moreover,
invariably this mode of support is the case
in all available images of the supposed
"feat" currently published online including
videos. The majority indeed show
supports placed lower than this (closer
together) as examples illustrate.[23][24][25]
By contrast if we look at one of Tsanders
examples[26] we see the supports placed
actually further apart with a non-
hypnotised volunteer than in those
supposedly hypnotised and
demonstrating "catalepsy".[27] The need
felt by such commentors to adduce ad
hominem (see above quote) appears to
indicate argument on the basis of emotion
rather than substance. The onus to
provide evidence rests with those who
claim that the "feat" represents a supra-
normal result. Their potential argument
that any given instance is a "bad" example
begs the question as to where a perfect
instance can be found. Another sceptic is
Mark Lewis, magician and hypnotist who
stated quite openly in his book,
"Introduction to Stage Hypnosis" that he
did not believe in the trance state
phenomena. He stated that what happens
on stage is a combination of social
compliance, suggestibility and self-
delusion.

Role of deception
Due to stage hypnotists' showmanship,
many people believe that hypnosis is a
form of mind control. However, the effects
of stage hypnosis are probably due to a
combination of relatively ordinary social
psychological factors such as peer
pressure, social compliance, participant
selection, ordinary suggestibility, and
some amount of physical manipulation,
stagecraft, and trickery.[28] The desire to
be the centre of attention, having an
excuse to violate their own inner fear
suppressors and the pressure to please
are thought to convince subjects to "play
along".[29] Books written by stage
hypnotists sometimes explicitly describe
the use of deception in their acts. For
example, Ormond McGill's New
Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis describes
an entire "fake hypnosis" act which
depends upon the use of private whispers
throughout:

[The hypnotist whispers off-

microphone:] "We are going to
have some good laughs on the
audience and fool them... so
when I tell you to do some funny
things, do exactly as I secretly tell
you. Okay? Swell." (Then
deliberately wink at the spectator
in a friendly fashion.)[30]
According to experts such as Theodore X.
Barber and Andr Muller Weitzenhoffer,
stage hypnosis traditionally employs three
fundamental strategies:

1. Participant compliance. Participants on

stage tend to be compliant because of the
social pressure felt in the situation
constructed on stage, before an expectant
audience.
2. Participant selection. Preliminary
suggestion tests, such as asking the
audience to clasp their hands and
suggesting they cannot be separated, are
usually used to select out the most
suggestible and socially compliant
subjects from the audience. By asking for
volunteers to mount the stage, the
performer also tends to select the most
extraverted members of the audience.
3. Deception of the audience. Stage
hypnotists are performers who
traditionally, but not always, employ a
variety of "sleight of hand" strategies to
mislead their audience for dramatic effect.

The strategies of deception employed in

traditional stage hypnosis can be
categorised as follows:

1. Off-microphone whispers. The

hypnotist lowers his microphone and
whispers secret instructions to the
participant on stage, outside the
audience's hearing. These may involve
requests to "play along" or fake hypnotic
responses.[31]
2. Failure to challenge. The stage
hypnotist pretends to challenge subjects
to defy a suggestion, for example, "You
cannot stand up out of your chair because
your backside is stuck down with glue."
However, no specic cue is given to the
participants to begin their effort ("Start
trying now!"). This creates the illusion that
a specic challenge has been issued and
effort made to defy it.[31]
3. Fake hypnosis tricks. Stage hypnosis
literature contains a large repertoire of
sleight of hand tricks, of the kind used by
professional illusionists. None of these
tricks require any hypnosis or suggestion,
but depend purely on physical
manipulation and audience deception. The
most famous example of this type is the
"human plank" trick, which involves
making a subject's body become rigid
(cataleptic) and suspending them
horizontally between two chairs, at which
point the hypnotist will often stand upon
their chest for dramatic effect. This has
nothing to do with hypnosis, but simply
depends on the fact that when subjects
are positioned in the correct way they can
support more weight than the audience
tends to assume.[31]
4. Stooges. Several experts, including
Kreskin, have stated that stage hypnotists
have been known to make use of stooges
(also called horses) who travel from show
to show. A stage hypnotist may only
require a single stooge because by using
him rst for each demonstration real
subjects from the audience will tend to
follow his lead and imitate his responses.
Moreover, for the climax of the show, the
hypnotist will often focus on one or two
subjects to demonstrate more difcult and
dramatic responses involving apparent
hallucinatory experiences. A single stooge
can be used for this purpose.[32][33]

Weitzenhoffer writes:

Having not only had a chance to

watch famous stage hypnotists of
the 1940s and 50s such as [Ralph]
Slater[34] and Polgar at work but
having also had a chance to have
fairly extensive personal contact
with other stage hypnotists, I
believe I can throw some light
upon the situation. To begin with,
one should be aware that many
 stage hypnotists use stooges or
plants.[33]

However Alex Tsander argues [35] that use

of a stooge has in modern times been for
all practical purposes inconceivable
because of the frequency of their
reappearance in different performances
(sometimes repeatedly at the same venue)
and the dire consequences of being
discovered. A likelihood increased by the
Internet, social media and camera-phones
in the audience.
Whilst denying the existence of a "state of
hypnosis", Tsander has since the early
1990s presented "close up" sessions in
which volunteers sit with him at a table
whilst the audience sit or stand adjacent.
An audience in close proximity makes the
kind of subterfuge mentioned above, such
as stage whispers, impossible. For
Tsander, coupled with his denying a state
of hypnosis, this demonstrates that social
psychology and suggestion offer
sufcient explanation for all hypnotic
effects. Under favourable circumstances
neither "hypnosis" nor deception is
necessary to obtain even the most
theatrical behaviour from suitable
volunteers.[36]

On the other hand, those who argue for a

substantial "state" of hypnosis cite clinical
claims (not actually evidenced in any case
of stage performance, one hopes) such as
the following:

"...editorial implying most subjects have

no will or interest in not following the
suggestion of the hypnotist, conveniently
omit the primary interest in hypnotism
came in the early 1800's before ether and
morphine were widely available.
Thousands of extremely painful
operations were performed through the
use of hypnosis. Patients awoke without
memory of the surgery and even healed
much faster than those who endured the
extreme pain without hypnosis. Sigmund
Freud was directly responsible for
removing hypnosis from psychotherapy
because of so many reports that patients
also had intuitions about conditions of
patients they had never met while in the
trance state."[37]

Such arguments originate in the work of

James Esdaile at a medical mission in
India, recounted in his book of 1847. This
was before the concept of "hypnotism"
(only recently promoted by Braid,
1843)had spread and Esdailes work was
still referred to as "Mesmerism". Whilst
Esdaile claimed his patients felt no pain
observers on behalf of an independent
commission of enquiry for the Bengal
government reported scenes of those
undergoing such operations writhing in
agony. Regarding more recent claims of
painless surgery, T.X.Barber, among others
has pointed out that detail in accounts of
such surgery admit that patients are, even
though not unconscious, rendered
stuporous by cocktails of anxiolytics.
Moreover, the proportion of patients
capable of undergoing such procedures
(attaining sufciently "deep" "hypnosis") is
as small as the percentage of the
population who are capable of undergoing
surgery with neither chemical nor
hypnotic assistance, inviting the suspicion
that these groups of "special" patients
overlap. Moreover, Barber also points out
that invariably, cases of hypnotic surgery
do use local anaesthetic at the area of
incision, whilst internal organs are not
capable of registering pain in response to
a skilled cut rendering many such
operations feasible without general
anaesthetic, the role of hypnotic influence
being essentially at an emotional or
anxiolytic level. Furthermore, far from
there being "thousands" of such cases of
hypno-anaesthesia in surgery it remains
sufciently rare as to warrant the attention
of news reports when it occurs. As rare,
indeed, as the exceptional individuals able
to undergo such surgery.

However, none of the foregoing debate

about hypnotic procedures in a clinical
setting has any bearing upon stage
hypnosis.

Role of hypnotist and subject

Hypnotist


A stage hypnotist and his subjects

Due to stage hypnotists' showmanship

and their perpetuating the illusion of
possessing mysterious abilities, the
appearance of a trance state is often seen
as caused by the hypnotist's power. The
real power of stage hypnosis comes from
the trust the "hypnotist" can instill in their
subjects. Subjects have to cooperate and
be willing to follow instructions and the
hypnotist will employ several tests to
choose the best subjects. Some people
are very trusting, or even looking for an
excuse to abdicate their responsibilities
and are apparently able to be "hypnotised"
within seconds, while others take more
time to counter their fears.

Suggestion is very powerful and a good

hypnotist will know how to deliver
suggestions that can create better
entertainment for the audience. In his
book Deeper and Deeper by Jonathan
Chase,[38] he talks about delivering
suggestion, more importantly, The Super
Suggestion a phrase he coined in his rst
published book in 1999
 "From this moment everything I
say to you. Every single thing I
say, no matter how silly or stupid
it seems will instantly become
your reality. Everything I say will
instantly become your reality."

He emphasises the use of repetition but

warns that when they have accepted the
suggestion then everything that the
hypnotist says to them after this point will
become an irresistible suggestion.
Historically, stage hypnotists often made
claims for hypnotically induced
enhancements to volunteer abilities
beyond normal limits. One such routine
that persists is that of "The Human
Bridge". The English hypnotist Alex
Tsander has made a particular theme of
taking this clich routine, which is still
touted by many hypnotists as a uniquely
hypnotic "feat", and de-bunking it by
demonstrating that no hypnosis is
required. He does this in studio videos
with non-hypnotised volunteers, both
models and himself, talking to camera.
Whilst emphasising that no weight should
ever be placed on a person in that
situation (which is specically forbidden
in public UK performances under the
Model Conditions) he explains in "The Art
and Secrets of Stage Hypnotism" [39] how
performers elsewhere deceive audiences
when doing so. At the Kit Kat club, Berlin,
in 2012, whilst appearing as himself,
Tsander also performed as "Erektor The
Bridgebuilder" presenting "Bridgeward
Bound",[40] an erotic bondage version of
the Human Bridge with a female co-
performer, that dramatically fore-grounded
the fact that the "feat" requires no
hypnosis, which was neither induced nor
pretended.
Subjects

In a stage hypnosis situation the

"hypnotist" chooses their participants
carefully. First they give the entire
audience a few exercises to perform and
plant ideas in their minds, such as:

only intelligent people can be

hypnotised
only those who are open-minded to
being hypnotised and willing to
participate.

It has been alleged that these suggestions

are designed to overcome the natural fear
of trusting a stranger with the greater fear
of becoming an object of ridicule as one
who is unintelligent, unsociable, and
joyless. However, whilst a self-proclaimed
"sceptic", British stage hypnotist Alex
Tsander argues that a more important
reason for such admonitions is to lter out
"pseudo-volunteers": those who only offer
to participate in order to prove that they
are as they see it "too intelligent" to
respond, or who want to show that they
can resist becoming hypnotised, with no
intention to genuinely cooperate in
achieving a positive result. Tsander
advises that a hypnotist should state
clearly at the outset that "anyone can
resist being hypnotised, so to do so will
prove nothing."[17]

Out of the crowd the hypnotist will spot

people who appear trusting, extroverted
and willing to put on a show. The
hypnotist starts them off by having them
imagine ordinary situations that they have
likely encountered, like being cold or hot,
hungry or thirsty then gradually builds to
giving them a suggestion that is totally out
of character, such as tap dancing, singing
like Elvis or clucking like a chicken.

The desire to be the centre of attention,

having an excuse to violate their own inner
fear suppressors and the pressure to
please, plus the expectation of the
audience wanting them to provide some
entertainment is usually enough to
persuade an extrovert to do almost
anything. In other words, the participants
are persuaded to 'play along'. Yet, whilst
this accounts for some situations, it does
not accord with those where hecklers,
uncooperative audiences and those who
wish to "disprove" the hypnotist create a
set of negative expectations,
uncooperative atmosphere and opposition
which the performer must use skill to
overcome.
Law
In some countries, there are laws and
guidelines regarding stage hypnosis.

In the UK, the Hypnotism Act 1952

governs the use of hypnosis in public. The
original Act was amended in 1976 and
again in 2003.[41] In 1996 the government
released "model conditions" which were
rened and revised after consultation with
FESH and with medical and academic
psychologists. Note that these have no
legal force: they are suggested conditions
which local authorities may or may not
feel appropriate to impose or modify when
regulating hypnosis.[42] If stage hypnosis
is performed at a public venue a permit
(permission) must be acquired from the
local authority and the local authority is
advised to monitor the performance to
ensure that all guidelines are followed. It
is illegal to hold any form of stage
hypnosis in a public venue (amongst other
venues) unless the local authority has
issued their consent for this.

In the accompanying circular announcing

the revised model conditions in 1996[43] it
was conceded that, as asserted by
skeptical stage hypnotist Alex Tsander
during the consultation process:
"In practice volunteers do not react as if they
truly believe that there is, for example, a
giant spider behind them or a bomb under
their chair."[44]

This was a critical point of distinction and

represents a formal recognition of the "as
if" nature of behaviour in stage hypnotism
in contradistinction to claims for its
supposed subjective reality.

In the past, stage hypnosis has been

banned in several countries in the world
including Denmark and some states in the
USA. Today, the only country to enforce a
law against hypnosis is Israel, where it is
illegal to perform any kind of hypnosis
without a license given to doctors,
dentists and psychologists.

References
1. Lennis G. Echterling & Jonathon Whalen
(1995). "Stage hypnosis and public lecture
effects on attitudes and beliefs regarding
hypnosis". American Journal of Clinical
Hypnosis. 38 (1): 1321.
doi:10.1080/00029157.1995.10403173 .
2. "Magnetic demonstrator" Gauld's term
(Gauld, 1992, p. 204) accurately describes
Lafontaine; because whilst he was in the
U.K., he only demonstrated "magnetic"
phenomena; he never used it to treat anyone
at any time (in public or private).
3. Braid always maintained that he had gone
to Lafontaine's demonstration as an open-
minded sceptic, eager to examine the
evidence and, then, form a considered
opinion of Lafontaine's work. He was neither
a closed-minded cynic intent on destroying
Lafontaine, nor a deluded and navely
credulous believer seeking authorisation of
his already formed belief (Neurypnology
(1843), p.2.
4. For an extended account of the
interactions between Braid and Lafontaine,
see Yeates (2013), pp.103308 passim.
5. "Electrobiology: A mode of inducing
hypnotism by having the subject look
steadily at metallic disks. The process
originated about the middle of the nineteenth
century, and its fame was spread by
numerous lecturers in England and the
United States.", Melton, J.G. [2001] (ed),
Encyclopedia of Occultism and
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(Farmington Hills), 2001, p.489.
6. Stone was the compiler and editor of The
Philosophy of Electro-Biology, or Electrical
Psychology, in a Course of Nine Lectures,
Delivered by J. B. Dods, before the United
States Senate, at Washington, in 1850, etc .
Stone was also involved, for a time, in the
active promotion the medium, Maria
Basheba Hayden (18261883), the wife of
his close friend, William Richardson Hayden,
M.D. (18201903), journalist, and editor of
The Boston Atlas, and a monthly newsletter
called The Star Spangled Banner. Maria
Hayden, who graduated M.D. in 1865, also
assisted Augustus De Morgan in his
paranormal investigations.
7. Braid's quote is at p.512 of Braid, J.,
"Electro-Biological Phenomena
Physiologically and Psychologically
Considered, by James Braid, M.R.C.S.
Edinburgh, &c. &c. (Lecture delivered at the
Royal Institution, Manchester, March 26,
1851)", The Monthly Journal of Medical
Science, Vol.12, (June 1851), pp.511530.
8. Author of The Practice of Hypnotic
Suggestion (1901). One of his specialties
was hypnotising per medium of the
telephone; poster at [1] [2]
9. Herbert L. Flint was the author of Flint's
lessons in hypnotism; a comprehensive work
on scientic suggestion as applied in
hypnotism, mesmerism, personal
magnetism, magnetic healing, psycho-
therapeutics, suggestive therapeutics and
similar manefestations of mental
development and control (1915); poster at [3]
10. Author of Hypnotism as It Is: a Book for
Everybody (1897). Xenophon LaMotte Sage
was the stage name of E. Virgil Neal; see
Conroy, (2009), passim, especially pp.27
40.
11. Ormond McGill, The New Encyclopedia
of Stage Hypnosis, 1996: 24
12. Braid, J. (1851). Electro-Biological
Phenomena, etc., p.530.
13. Kreskin, The Amazing World of Kreskin,
1973: 143.
14. Kreskin, The Amazing World of Kreskin,
1973: 152
15. Rider, D. 1995. "Playing Those Mind
Games", Bath Chronicle, "Night Time"
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16. Dipple, D. 1996. UK Home Ofce circular
No 39/1996 p. 2, para. 7
17. Tsander, A. 2006, 2012. The Art and
Secrets of Stage Hypnotism. Summitother.
ISBN0955073162
18. Royle, J. 2005. Confessions of A
Hypnotist: Everything You Ever Wanted to
Know About Hypnosis But Were Afraid To
Ask. Xlibris Corporation. P450.
19. Tsander, A. 2005. Beyond Hypnosis:
Hypnotism, Stage Hypnotism and The Myth
of "Hypnosis", Summitother,
ISBN0955073189
20. Tsander, A. 2005. Beyond Erickson: A
Fresh Look at "The Emperor of Hypnosis",
Summitother. ISBN0955073103
21. Anon. 2016. Edit made as quoted to this
wiki by a contributor.
22. Dipple, D. 1996. UK Home Ofce. Circular
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23. Greenoasis. 2016. Visual reference No 2.
Accessed online
at:http://img11.deviantart.net/546b/i/2013/3
61/d/c/catalepsy_23_by_greenoasisfan-
d6zng70.png
24. Greenoasisfan. 2016. Visual reference
No 3. Accessed online at:
http://img04.deviantart.net/16b6/i/2013/226
/3/6/catalepsy_14_by_greenoasisfan-
d6i42zn.png
25. Lexlucas. 2016. Visual reference No 4.
Accessed online at:
http://img15.deviantart.net/849a/i/2014/149
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s-d7k7bd6.jpg
26. Flickr. 2016. Accessed online at:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5143/5554431
351_fc50c2d282_b_d.jpg
27. See visual references 2, 3 and 4, above.
28. Yapko, Michael (1990). Trancework: An
introduction to the practice of Clinical
Hypnosis. New York, New York:
Brunner/Mazel. p.28.
29. Wagstaff, Graham F. (1981) Hypnosis,
Compliance and Belief, St. Martin's Press,
New York. ISBN0-312-40157-4
30. McGill, Ormond. (1996) The New
Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis, p. 506.
31. Barber, Spanos & Chaves. Hypnotism:
Imagination & Human Potentialities (1974),
p. 105.
32. Kreskin. The Amazing World of Kreskin
(1973), p. 149.
33. Weitznehoffer, Andre. The Practice of
Hypnotism (2000), p. 400.
34. Real name Joseph Bolsky (see [4] ("Dr.
Wilbur" is Cornelia B. Wilbur), and [5] ).
35. Tsander, A. 2006,2012. The Art and
Secrets of Stage Hypnotism, Summitother.
ISBN0955073162
36. Tsander, A. Visual Reference, 1.Accessed
online at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/16196214@N
07/1753544748/in/album-
721576027209907589/
37. Anon. 2016. Edit to this Wiki as quoted.
38. Chase, Jonathan (2005) Deeper and
Deeper the secrets of stage hypnosis - p. 101
39. Tsander, A. 2005, 2012. The Art and
Secrets of Stage Hypnotism. Summitother.
ISBN0955073162
40. Residentadvisor. 2012. Wasteland Berlin.
Accessed online at:
https://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?
395975
41.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/changes/affec
ted/ukpga/1952/46
42. http://www.fesh.co.uk/Law.htm
43. Dipple, D. 1996. UK Home Ofce circular
No39/1996
44. Dipple, 1996, p6, sub-section "Previous
Section 3(I)(Vi).

Further reading
 Braid, J., Neurypnology or the Rationale
of Nervous Sleep Considered in Relation with
Animal Magnetism Illustrated by Numerous
Cases of its Successful Application in the
Relief and Cure of Disease, John Churchill,
(London), 1843.
N.B. Braid's Errata, detailing a
number of important corrections that
need to be made to the foregoing text, is
on the un-numbered page following
p.265.
Brandon, Joan, "Successful Hypnotism"
Stravon Publishers (1956) ASIN
B000JD0XS2
 Brandon, Joan,"The Art of Hypnotism"
Fawcett How-To Book. Publisher: Fawcett
Publications, Inc., 1956
Brandon, Joan, "Science Of Self-
Hypnosis" Publisher: Joan Brandon,
Brandon Enterprises, 1959
Emery, Carla (1998). "Secret, Dont Tell:
The Encyclopedia of Hypnotism" . Acorn Hill
Publishing. ISBN9780965993036
Conroy, M.S., The Cosmetics Baron
You've Never Heard Of: E. Virgil Neal and
Tokalon (Second, Revised Edition), Altus
History LLC, (Englewood), 2012. ISBN0-
9826314-7-2 [6]
 Crawford, H.J., Kitner-Triolo, M., Clarke,
S.W. & Olesko, B., "Transient Positive and
Negative Experiences Accompanying
Stage Hypnosis", Journal of Abnormal
Psychology, Vol.101, No.4, (November
1992), pp.663667.
Echterling, L.G. & Emmerling, D.A.,
"Impact of Stage Hypnosis", American
Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Vol.29, No.3,
(January 1987), pp.149154. [plus
editorial comment, see Mott, T., pp.147
148.]
Gauld, A., A History of Hypnotism,
Cambridge University Press, 1992.[7]
 Harling I.G., Nyrup M.A., "Mischief -
Radical Hypnosis & Mind-Control",
Spellbound Books, 2010 ISBN978-87-
990481-2-0 - 'Mischief' is the author's
previous books, 'Sleight of Mind' & 'Geist'
in one title.
Heap, M., "The Alleged Dangers of
Stage Hypnosis", Contemporary Hypnosis,
Vol.17, No.3, (September 2000), p.117
126.
McGill, O., Professional Stage Hypnotism,
Westwood Publishing Co., (Los Angeles),
1977.
McGill, O., The New Encyclopedia of
Stage Hypnotism, Anglo American Book
Company, (St. Clears), 1996.
Meeker, W.B. & Barber, T.X., "Toward An
Explanation Of Stage Hypnosis", Journal of
Abnormal Psychology, Vol.77, No.1, (1971),
pp.6170.
Nadis, F., "Of Horses, Planks, and
Window Sleepers: Stage Hypnotism Meets
Reform, 18361920", Journal of Medical
Humanities, Vol.22, No.3, (Fall 2001),
p.223245.
Yeates, L.B., James Braid: Surgeon,
Gentleman Scientist, and Hypnotist, Ph.D.
Dissertation, School of History and
Philosophy of Science, Faculty of Arts &
Social Sciences, University of New South
Wales, January 2013.
Christopher Caress "Sleep Easy", An
inside look into the world of Stage
Hypnosis with a modern approach No.1,
2011
Christopher Caress "Hypno Tricks",
No.1, 2010

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