Undoubtedly Hyper-suggestibilityis the commonest and probably the most important phenomenon of the trance. The patient appears to be anxious to please the hypnotist and will carry out any orders unless he feels that they are against his fundamental moral principles. Even in the deep state the patient can resist any suggestion with which he does not agree. This is especially so when the suggestion is likely to provoke too much anxiety. Miss X, for instance, had a great fear of touching her own body. She proved to be a very difficult hypnotic subject, but was eventually hypnotized sufficiently to allow a pin to be passed through the skin of her hand without feeling any pain. Nevertheless, she refused to obey a direct order to touch herself. She explained this later by saying that she did not mind having a pin stuck in her hand as she could not feel it, but that she would not touch herself as it would have made her worry.

This shows that, although under hypnosis, suggestibility is greatly increased, the subject is not an automaton and can exercise a degree of free will. Suggestibility varies, of course, with different people and also with the depth of trance, being usually most marked in the somnambulistic state.

If the subject does not agree with a suggestion, he has several defences. He may simply refuse to carry out the order and remain in the trance state, obeying other commands which do not run counter to his fundamental principles. On the other hand, he may wake up or even go into ordinary sleep. In general, however, providing the suggestions are phrased with care, the patient appears to be quite eager to do his best to carry out the commands of the hypnotist.

So marked is this characteristic that it is necessary to make sure that the subject is not acting in order to please the hypnotist. The fact that the patient acts this way is a sign of hypnosis, for in the waking state there is seldom such eagerness to please.

This abnormal desire to please forms part of the phenomenon long known as Rapport. The older writers believed that this was very real; and most of the lay public do so to this day.

The hypnotized person is supposed to respond only to the hypnotist, remaining apparently indifferent to everybody else unless instructed to behave otherwise. Certainly a hypnotized person - particularly one in a deep state - appears to do so.

Scientific tests have proved, however, that rapport is not real. Although the subject acts as though he was out of touch with everybody except the hypnotist, actually he is well aware of people and things. If the hypnotist, for instance, says to the patient, ‘You will hear nobody except me,’ and somebody else present suggests some simple task, it is seldom that the subject will fail to pass the test - thus proving that he heard and understood while acting as if he did not.

Among the most striking phenomena which can be produced under hypnosis are the various changes in the muscular system. Paralysis of various muscles or groups of muscles can be easily brought about by suggestion and as quickly removed. The paralysis never follows the anatomical distribution of the nerve supply, but always takes the form which the idea of paralysis suggests to the patient.

All sorts of spasms or contractions can be produced and rigidity of any part, or even the whole, of the body can easily be brought about. The well-known stage trick, where the subject is stretched between chairs while the hypnotist sits on him, depends upon this. There is no real increase in muscular strength; but as the inhibiting ideas of the waking state are removed, the subject is able to exert the full power of the body musculature.

If asked to perform this feat in the waking state, the average person thinks, ‘I couldn’t do that - I’m not strong enough,’ and as a result he cannot possibly perform the trick. When the inhibiting idea or restraint is removed by hypnotism, the subject thinks in response to suggestion, ‘I’m as strong as a bar of steel - nothing can bend me.’

As a result, the full reserve power of the muscles is brought into play and the feat is easily performed. After all, everybody has approximately 600 lb. pressure in their jaw muscles, but few people ever use it. Nevertheless, it allows acrobats to hang by their teeth from a trapeze and perform the most amazing feats while supporting the full weight of their body.

Another very interesting phenomenon is that known as Catalepsy. There is no very clear definition of this, but clinically

it is very easily recognized. If the arm or any other limb of the hypnotized person is raised in the air and held for a moment, it will stay in any position in which it is placed, no matter how awkward this may be. The position will be maintained without any strain for a much greater length of time than would be possible in the normal waking state.

Many people would consider that this is not an actual phenomenon of hypnosis but merely response to suggestion, as the subject can tell that the operator wishes him to maintain the arm in the position in which he has placed it. It should be remembered that the spoken word is not necessary to convey suggestion—a mere touch or pressure is sufficient to give the required impression.

The tone of the muscular system can be increased or decreased, and with sufficient relaxation a condition known as cerea flexibilitas can be induced. Here the muscles are so relaxed that the arm feels almost boneless and can be ‘moulded’ into the most extraordinary shapes as though made of wax.