ABSTRACT
The so-called hypnotism of animals consists in the fact that by means of energetic action, overcoming all resistance, the animal is brought to an unnatural posture and kept thus for a brief space of time. Faced with an overwhelming power, from which there is no escape in struggle or in flight, the animal’s only chance of salvation is to remain immobile in order not to be noticed, since moving objects attract particular attention, or not to provoke by fussy, restless movements an aggressive reaction on the part of this overwhelming force. In this chapter, the author formulates his physiological conceptions of hypnosis in animals. He considers hypnosis in animals one of the self-protective reflexes based on inhibition. The phenomena of catalepsy are regarded as inhibition of the motor area of the cortex. the author also points out the transition of hypnosis to sleep during irradiation of inhibition to the other regions of the cortex.
