andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that an individual (name supplied) gives exhibitions of his control of others under hypnosis for entertainment and monetary gain; and if he will take steps to enable him to prohibit by law such use of hypnosis for which there are valuable medically acknowledged therapeutic uses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hypnosis Demonstrations.
1.
The reply to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative.
In regard to the second part of the question, I regard as undesirable the use, for non-medical purposes, of any procedure which might have the effect of depriving any individual, even temporarily, of the free functioning of his mental or physical processes, leaving him subject to the undue influence of another person. I do not accept, however, that the fact that hypnosis may have a valuable use in the practice of medicine is sufficient justification for the statutory prohibition recommended by the Deputies.
Would the Minister accept, then, if he does not accept the second point, that his own objection, which he quoted, would be good enough reason for seeking some sort of statutory control over this type of entertainment?
I have said that while I deprecate the exercise of this procedure for entertainment purposes, I do not think I would be justified in prohibiting, by statute, such entertainments.
Is it not a fact that such statutory prohibitions exist in other countries?
They may, but the fact that things exist or are done in other countries is not a justification for us to adopt their standards. We have at least to preserve our own individuality.