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A Hypnotist’s Case Book – Professor Alexander Erskine

A widowed mother brought her young son to me. He had so painful an impediment in his speech that he could scarcely speak. He was her only child, and instead of looking forward to the day when he could help to support her, her only outlook was of extra work to support him.

He quickly went to sleep, and in a few minutes I spoke to him.

"You can talk as well as I can," I said. "Now talk to me."

He talked. We had a long conversation, and his speech was perfect.

I let him rest awhile, still asleep, while I talked to his mother to prove that I was no magician. She said :

"You haven't tried to cure his paralysis. His left arm has been paralysed from birth, and although he's had all sorts of treatment in hospital, they can do nothing for him."

I turned to the boy. "Lift up your arm," I said.

He obeyed.

"Now hold this book." He did so.

"Now move your arm and have strength in it. You can, you know."

After a time I woke him up. He could speak as well as I could ; he could grasp a stick. To-day his arm has become normal and is growing rapidly. But I can never cure his hand properly, for a surgeon, mistakenly operating on him in an attempt to cure him in the early stages, cut one of the small tendons, and two fingers will always be stiff.