Beverly Gooberman. age 10. of Bronx,NY

When did hypnotism start?

Some people seem to be able to hold your attention even when you want to think of something else. Hypnotism is like this. only much  much more so judging from Andy’s mail everyone has suddenly become interested in hypnotism. So here is a word of warning. Hypnotism is a job for experts and not for amateurs.

We do not know who was the first hypnotist or how he discovered the trick. But during the last half of the eighteenth century it was made popular by Dr. Mesmer of Vienna. Before the days of anesthetics hypnotism was sometimes used during operations. Later! psychiatrists used it to help those with emotional upsets.

But hypnotism is no parlor game. And no one can pull the trick on you if you stubbornly refuse to go along. Nor can you be forced to do anything really serious under hypnotism. And. we are told. it is almost impossible for anyone to hypnotize his close friends.