Hypnotism... in Dentistry

This is a great deal — and strange to the ear in an age of science and inventions; but doctors affirm that the use of hypnotic sleep in medicine is one of the wonders of this age as well...

"We are going to play an easy game." No sooner had the doctor uttered this phrase than little "Sue" passed into the world of dreams, and he began to recite his commands to her: "Stretch out your legs... rest your back... I am going to count to three..." And scarcely had he finished before the little girl sank into a quiet doze.

"Sue" used to dread going to the dentist, and the reason was that she had spent two years in the hospital, so that the mere mention of pain overturned her whole being... Every means failed to persuade her; neither medicines nor anesthetics did any good with her — until the day came when her mother hit upon hypnotic sleep. When she entered the doctor's room she was trembling with fear, but he reassured her that he would not touch her to hurt her — that he would not even look into her mouth, but would join her in an amusing game. And so he seated her in a position suited to the method of inducing sleep, and smiled at her encouragingly... And "Sue" grew used to the doctor's soft voice as he whispered in her ear, saying: "I see drowsiness playing upon your eyelids... Sleep, my little one... I shall look at your gleaming teeth when you open your pretty mouth. Sleep sweetly... Sle... eep." And the little girl drifted off into hypnotic... sleep, and began to obey her doctor's commands without awareness or will. And to make certain she would feel no pain, the doctor pricked her hand — and she did not stir. Then he went on with his instructions to her: that she should always clean her teeth, and that she would feel no pain once she awoke... Then he ordered her to rise, after he had pulled her tooth... A broad smile flooded her mouth and shone from her eyes, and she jumped off the chair to meet her mother in the waiting room... It was a wondrous step indeed