final version - estabrooks book review may 27th 2013
The document is a detailed, first‑person‑plural summary of George Estabrooks’ 1957 revised edition of Hypnotism. It opens with Estabrooks’ strong stance that hypnotism is a legitimate science comparable to chemistry or physics, and condemns popular ignorance and charlatanry. The author’s perspective is that hypnosis operates through direct authoritarian suggestion, that a hypnotist can control a subject’s mind, and that hypnosis can be applied without the subject’s consent. The summary follows the book’s structure, covering: (1) an introductory overview of hypnotic demonstrations; (2) the induction process – notably Estabrooks’ “progressive test induction” and its step‑by‑step tests; (3) typical hypnotic phenomena and the difficulty of researching them; (4) post‑hypnotic and auto‑suggestion as central mechanisms; (5) everyday‑life states (automatic writing, crystal gazing, séances) which Estabrooks treats as unproven hypnotic‑like conditions; (6) a historical narrative that traces hypnotism from ancient sleep temples through Mesmer, Bernheim, Braid, and critiques mistaken theories such as the sleep‑hypnosis link; (7) Estabrooks’ own “photographic‑plate” theory linking emotion, suggestion, and brain sensitisation; (8) medical applications, where he distinguishes mental from physical disease, emphasizes regression and psychoanalysis, but repeatedly notes the lack of conclusive evidence; (9) potential uses in crime (both perpetration and detection) and the seven practical obstacles he enumerates; (10) speculative warfare applications, including “disguised technique”, super‑spies, and interrogation, all acknowledged as conjectural; (11) influence on human affairs – politics, dictators, mob psychology, education, delinquency, and even reincarnation – again framed as opportunities for hypnotic influence but largely unverified; (12) a final discussion of public opinion, various hypnotic phenomena (autonomic control, catalepsy, anaesthesia, time distortion), and the overarching need for rigorous scientific proof. Throughout, Estabrooks repeatedly cautions that many claims remain unproven, that operator attitude is crucial, and that ethical misuse by unscrupulous leaders is a grave danger. The summary concludes with a call for experimental research, tolerance, and public education to prevent manipulation.
Topics
Authorial Stance: Hypnosis as a Legitimate Science
Estabrooks positions hypnotism alongside chemistry, physics, and mathematics, arguing it follows definite laws discovered through experiment.
Direct Authoritarian Suggestion Model
The core hypothesis that a hypnotist can take control of a subject via authoritative suggestions, even without consent.
Progressive Test Induction Procedure
Step‑by‑step description of Estabrooks’ induction (talk‑sleep, eyelid lock, arm rigidity, hand rotation, sleep‑walking, hallucination) and its reported success rates.
Everyday‑Life Hypnotic‑Like States
Discussion of automatic writing, crystal gazing, séances, Ouija boards, and other dissociative phenomena, all labeled as unproven but analogous to trance.
Historical Evolution of Hypnosis
Chronology from ancient sleep temples through Mesmer, Bernheim, Braid, highlighting false trails (phrenology, sleep‑hypnosis link) and the shift toward suggestion.
Photographic‑Plate Theory of Brain Sensitisation
Estabrooks’ metaphor that experiences are recorded on a brain “plate” via emotion or hypnosis, linking suggestion to lasting memory.
Medical Applications and Limitations
Claims about hypnosis for mental and physical disorders, regression, psychoanalysis, and specific conditions (neuroses, alcoholism, pain), repeatedly qualified as lacking solid evidence.
Hypnosis in Crime: Possibilities and Obstacles
Exploration of hypnotic crime (murder case, seven practical problems) and a speculative informant network for detection.