... it certainly is allowable to try the effect of certain deceptions, contrived to make strong impressions on the senses, by means of unexpected, unusual, striking, or apparatnly supernatural agentss; such as after waking tha party from sleep, either suddenly or by a gradual process, by imitated thunder or soft music, according to the peculiarity of the case, combating the erroneous deranged notions either by some pointed sentence, or signs executed in phosphorus upon the wall of the bed chamber, or by some tale, assertion or reasoning; by one in the character of an angel, prophet, or devil: but the actor in this drama must possess much skill, and be very perfect in his part. I might refer to a number of cases where such deceptions were had recourse to, with very varied results.
C***
Practical Observations on Insanity, p. 59-60.