Apparitions and thought-transference: an examination of the evidence for telepathyPodmore, Frank
Philosophy
Apparitions and thought-transference: an examination of the evidence for telepathy
Podmore, Frank
Apparitions; Telepathy
A more striking form of the same experiment, the post-hypnotic
production of a completely developed hallucination of the human figure,
has been practised by Bernheim,[95] Beaunis,[96] Liegeois,[97] and
others. Thus M. Liegeois, on the 12th October 1885, told a hypnotised
subject that on the 12th October of the year following he would go to
Dr. Liébeault's house, where he would also see M. Liegeois, and would
thank them both for the good done to his eyes. He would then see a
performing dog and monkey enter the consulting room, where they would
perform many amusing tricks; ultimately he would see a gipsy enter
with a bear, to reclaim the dog and monkey, and would borrow two sous
from M. Liegeois to give to the gipsy. On the 12th October 1886 the
subject entered Dr. Liébeault's consulting room and thanked him and
M. Liegeois as arranged. He then saw a dog and monkey enter the room,
and ultimately a gipsy. The bear he did not see, and the two sous,
which were duly borrowed, he handed to the imaginary dog. With these
exceptions the hallucinations enjoined a year before were exactly
realised. Some experiments of a similar nature are recorded by Mr.
Gurney (_Proc. S.P.R._, vol. v. pp. 11-13). The subject was a servant
named Zillah, in the service of Mrs. Ellis, of 40 Keppel Street,
Russell Square. In the first two experiments Zillah was told in the
trance that at a certain hour on the following day she would see Mr. G.
A. Smith. In each case the experiment succeeded.
The third and last experiment with this "subject" was made on
Wednesday evening, July 13th, 1887. On this occasion S. told her,
when hypnotised, that the next afternoon at three o'clock she
would see me come into the room to her. She was further told that
I would keep my hat on, and would say, "Good afternoon;" that I
would further remark, "It is very warm;" and would then turn round
and walk out. These hallucinations were suggested in another room,
where Zillah was taken for the purpose, and neither Mrs. Ellis nor
any other person, except S. and myself, knew their nature. Zillah,
as usual, knew nothing about them on waking. On the second day
after, the following letter was received from Mrs. Ellis:--
"40 KEPPEL STREET, RUSSELL SQUARE, W.C.,
_July_ 14_th_.
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