THE PSYCHICAL ‘SCEPTIC’
Hypnotism and the Supernormal – Simeon Edmunds
This 1961 book is a peculiar blend of psychical research and hypnosis miscellanea, plus – relatively speaking and, I’m sure, genuinely meant – ‘scepticism’.
Hypnotism and the Supernormal is penned by Simeon Edmunds (1917-1969), a British psychical researcher with a special interest in hypnotism.
Edmunds was research secretary for the College of Psychic Science and a member of the Society for Psychical Research, both based in London, and was also editor of an American parapsychology magazine.
This book seems to have garnered praise from certain ‘critics’. Admittedly, some of his writing on hypnosis is credible… or at least compelling. But his support for the Society for Psychical Research is clear from the get-go and I suspect he was mostly praised for his apparently sceptical stance, his voice giving parapsychology credence.
First up, what a disappointing cover for a book on parapsychology! I’ve no idea what the image is trying to convey. But what is notable is that some designer has presumably gone rogue with the title as the cover differs from the official one. (Also notable is that the back cover, below left, is plastered with books from Own-Brand Products™ guru Melvin Powers!)
This book is basically a ‘survey’ of the ‘psychic’ aspects of hypnosis, from telepathy and clairvoyance to reincarnation and *crack of thunder and evil cackle* Black Magic.
But before we get into that, Edmunds give us a pretty decent history of hypnosis: well written, right about a lot of things; full of flavour as to the weird and wonderful things hypnotism can, perhaps, achieve… If only it weren’t for those dismissive doctors and scientists discrediting it!
Thing is, aside from all the puff about the Society for Psychical Research – what reliable, upstanding folks they are and why their ‘research’ and ‘findings’ should be respected and accepted blah blah – I’m pretty sympathetic.
Hypnosis is of value to medicine – pain control and relief, analgesia and anaesthesia, for instance, are proven to work. But the backlash against Mesmer and advent of chloroform saw the medical and scientific community slam the door shut on mesmerism/hypnotism – something Edmunds laments.
I don’t know whether the below contemporary comment from leading medical journal The Lancet on James Esdaile and his ilk, from the mid- to late-1840s, is reliable as it’s not referenced. But the ire rings true with that which the medical and scientific community consistently showed in Alison Winter’s (reliable) book:
“Mesmerism is too gross a humbug to admit of any further serious notice. We regard its abettors as quacks and imposters. They ought to be hooted out of professional Society. Any practitioner who sends a patient afflicted with any disease to consult a mesmeric quack, ought to be without patients for the rest of his days.”
It’s interesting to consider whether, had Victorian scientists, doctors and, in particular, surgeons been a little less egomaniacal and dismissive, less time would have been wasted on psychical hypno-folly in favour of genuine and useful applications.
This book is just such a psychical hypno-folly. And, as we’ve come to expect from such works, it’s simultaneously joyous, tedious, silly, distasteful, sad and inspiring.
- Joyous! If you like a hypnotic exploration of a ‘split personality’ as much as I (and Dr Walter P Clayton) do, then you’re in for a treat! There’s a whole chapter on splits and dissociation. Leonie/Leontine/Leonore, Sally Beaumont 1, 2, 3 and 4, and Eve White and Eve Black, who eventually became Jane and, finally, Eve Lancaster, all lead their hypno-doctors on a merry dance. Cases aren’t dated but seem to be Victorian era – presumably split personalities were a then-new innovation in humanity’s ongoing attempts to, you know, be and live as we wish, rather than as society dictates.
- Tedious! The chapters on clairvoyance and telepathy are surprisingly dull. Edmunds is overly impressed with a hypnosis client of his who once correctly guessed the contents of a parcel (a book) – which doesn’t bode well for the ‘scepticism’ applied here. The greatest feats he details can easily be explained by magic and mentalism. I felt his insistence on the veracity of experimental conditions and long score charts were familiar: our old friend SG Soal pops up as proof of how sound this all is!
- Silly! We’re regaled with two apparent ‘true crime’ stories using hypnosis. These are salacious stories, breathily written, worthy of their own potboiler novels. One is of a wife who got up to all sorts of shenanigans – stealing money and swag, having sexy-sex with all the guys, and attempting to kill her husband – all while definitely under the spell of an evil hypnotist. She was absolved of all guilt! The other is of a proxy-bank-robbery plot so long-winded and risky it makes no sense why the alleged perp didn’t do it himself. But the ‘hypnotised’ robber was also absolved and the hypnotist brought to justice!
- Distasteful! The chapter on crimes and murders is unpleasant and offensive. Entries in the ‘Miscellany’ chapter are also racist.
- Sad! The chapters on mediumistic phenomena and reincarnation are where Edmunds shows off his ‘sceptic’ chops. So for every sensational (believed) story of an Edgar Cayce or Bridey Murphy, Edmunds postulates that others are coincidence, fantasy or fraud. Ultimately, I felt that all such stories smacked of lost souls seeking meaning, purpose and a life less ordinary.
- Inspiring! Wondering how best to hypnotise bears, lions, savage dogs and mad bulls?! Fancy building your own Mesmer-style baquet instead of getting that hot-tub?! Need to know which drugs best ‘induce’ hypnosis?! There are so many tips and titbits in here it almost belongs on a magazine rack in your local newsagents.
One of Edmunds’ concluding points is that – while charlatans, fools and stage hypnotists should be banned – lay hypnotists can and do make an important contribution to the field, and that hypnotism shouldn’t therefore be the sole domain of scientists and doctors.
If it weren’t for all the woo-woo and confirmation bias, there’s a lot to like in this book.
