Hypnotism

A form of sleep or trance in some respects resembling somnambulism but brought on by artificial means in which there is an unusual suspension of some powers and an unusual activity of others especially a heightened susceptibility to suggestion It is induced by an action upon the nerves through the medium of the senses by causing the subject to gaze steadily at a very bright object held before the eyes or on an oscillating object or by pressure upon certain points of the surface of the body usually accompanied by the speaking of the hypnotist in quiet soothing tones Called also hypnosis