Why is hypnotism so important to dan and why does practice it so often on ben and peyton? chapter 12

They still need something to use as anesthesia, so Alice brings home a book about hypnosis from the library and Helen reads it to Dan every night, hoping he can learn something and use it to his advantage. The children served as his subjects. They test his abilities when Ben develops appendicitis and Dan has to operate; after putting Ben into a deep trance, Dan uses common household items to remove the swollen appendix.