Battenburg's mental prostration might be brought about by the same means
when he was kidnapped.

At the time of the dispute between England and Russia, caused by Penjdeh,
a Greek naval officer showed a slightly indiscreet attachment for
England. Shortly afterwards he was removed for a time from the post he
held, as he was considered not quite sane; he had been at Copenhagen, He
was, however, restored to the navy, as it was considered rather good for
his health than otherwise that he should go to sea. He and an English
diplomatist at Copenhagen had been at Fiume together on duty, and the
former was undoubtedly tricked by hypnotists, pretending to be acting for
freemasonry, a trick played since on another person, and before in
England on a third. It has also been played in Italy long ago. The voices
would be taken for ventriloquists, whilst scenes heard would be
considered to be perceived in catalepsy by a person in good health, and
in full possession of his faculties, if not a doctor. At Fiume is the
Whitehead torpedo manufactory, but as the hammering and other noises
connected with it would prevent the chief persons in charge of the
factory from being got at, the hypnotists were doubtless foiled there.
Of course they may have got some information indirectly, but nothing of
high value.

The alarm produced at B---- House was brought about less by the phenomena
than by the pressure on the vagus nerve or heart. Whether fatal syncope
can be produced by modifying the heart beats, as Mr. Vincent suggests it
can, is of course a question for a doctor. He seems to think such cases
not uncommon. A gentleman attacked by hypnotists twice suffered from
syncope. He was previously suffering from exhaustion brought on by rowing
a party for their lives in a squall, and took strychnine at a doctor's
orders; that medicament, as is known, makes the nerves more sensitive.