James Braid

James Braid was a 19th-century Scottish surgeon and hypnotist known for developing modern concepts of hypnosis. He studied how focused attention and suggestion could alter perceptions and behaviors. Unlike earlier beliefs that hypnosis involved magic or spirits, Braid emphasized that it was a natural state of focused concentration. His work laid the foundation for understanding hypnosis as a psychological phenomenon and contributed to medical and therapeutic practices, including pain management and psychological treatment. Braid's insights helped establish hypnosis as a scientific discipline, moving it from superstition towards clinical application.