M. Ilg, described as a confidential adviser of His Majesty Menelek, Emperor of Abyssinia, appears to have confided to a French interviewer some curious facts as to the uses to which hypnotism is put in Abyssinia. From time to time a number of children under the age of 12 are selected for the position of labascha or detector of crime. They are believed to have the power, when hypnotized, of revealing to the proper authorities the identity of any criminal who may be “wanted” for a given offence. For instance, not long ago there was a case of arson at Adis-Ababa. A labascha was taken to the scene of the crime and there thrown into hypnotic sleep. The child forthwith set off in the direction of Harrar. He ran without stopping for sixteen hours on end, and his pace was so severe that the professional runners told off to accompany him gave up one after the other. When he got near Harrar, the boy suddenly took a path which led into a field where he laid hold of a labourer who was quietly at work there. Thereupon the man confessed his guilt. Again, a robbery with murder was committed in the neighbourhood of Adis-Ababa. A labascha was procured, and after being hypnotized proceeded to visit a number of churches and private houses, and at last lay down at the door of an empty hut. The owner on his return was arrested. He at first denied all knowledge of the crime and was subjected to a searching interrogatory. His movements were traced, and it was found that they corresponded exactly to the course taken by the labascha in finding the hut. The criminal, tortured by remorse, had thrown himself down at the door just as the labascha had done. There must be a considerable number of criminals at large in this country. On the venerable principle Anceps renedium melites quam nullum we venture to commend the Abyssinian method to the attention of Scotland Yard.
(BMJ 1904;i: 96)