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Erskine, Professor Alexander - The Power of the Sub-conscious Mind – Extraction of teeth without anaesthetic
Identifier
027271
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
The Power of the Sub-conscious Mind – Professor Alexander Erskine
EXTRACT FROM The Medical Times and Hospital Gazette (the Official Journal of the Association of Physicians and Surgeons and the Society of Apothecaries) :-
DENTAL EXTRACTION UNDER HYPNOSIS.
Sir,-The following facts may be of interest to your readers:
On April 6th, 1907, I made several extractions for a patient a young man, aged 20. The patient under hypnosis produced by Mr. Alex. Erskine. I removed roots of the second bicuspid, right side upper jaw, roots of the second bicuspid, left side upper jaw, and the whole of the first bicuspid left side upper jaw, developed outside arch.
Under gas, the above extractions might have been made within the period of total anaesthesia.
Under hypnosis I took time, first lancing gums before probing for roots, then Mr. Erskine instructed the patient to rinse his mouth thoroughly, to clear away the blood so that it should not impede my view of the roots. The patient obeyed the hypnotose implicitly and intelligently, and I proceeded slowly and deliberately to make the extractions, watching the patient carefully all the time for any reflections of the muscles and noting the pulse, which remained perfectly normal throughout the operations.
There was not the least flutter of the eyelids or twitching around the eyes which one usually observed under most anaesthetics.
There was no rigidity; the condition appeared to me of the nature of a perfectly natural and peaceful sleep. I firmly believe that I might have removed all his teeth without his feeling the slightest pain or being aware of what was happening.
On being awakened he seemed scarcely to realize that any operation had been performed, though he had given himself to the hypnotiser's influence for the purpose of having the extractions made.
He stated that he felt no pains nor soreness from the wounds(it having been suggested to him, before awakening him, that he would not feel any of the usual after-effects of an extraction).
Yours faithfully,
" B. J. BONNELL,
"Member of the Odontological Society of Great Britain; Member of the British Dental Association; Member of the American Dental Society of Europe."
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