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
"I myself, and I believe many other medical men, have observed
cases of this or of a similar nature. I will quote two, in which I
think I took all necessary precautions before being convinced of
their truth.
"1st. About 1853 or 1854, I had under my care a young woman with
confirmed hysteria: nothing was easier than to put her to sleep
by various means. I consider myself entitled to state that, while
holding her hand, my unspoken thoughts were transferred to her, but
upon this I do not insist, error and fraud being possible.
"But the transmission of a definite sensation seemed to me to be
absolutely certain. This is how I proceeded: Having put the patient
to sleep, and seated myself by her side, I leaned towards her and
dropped my handkerchief behind her chair; then, while stooping to
lift it up, I quickly put into my mouth a pinch of common salt,
which, unknown to her, I had beforehand put into the right-hand
pocket of my waistcoat. The salt being absolutely without smell,
it was impossible that the patient should have known that I had
some in my mouth; but as soon as I raised myself again I saw her
face express disgust, and she moved her lips about. 'That is very
nasty,' she said; 'why did you put salt into my mouth?'
"I have repeated this experiment several times with other inodorous
substances, and it has always succeeded. I report this fact alone
because it seems to me to be certain."
_Transference of Pain._
Experiments with sensations of pain, as has been pointed out, stand on
a different footing. There is no special source of error to be guarded
against. The following trials, conducted by Mr. Edmund Gurney, with the
assistance of the present writer and others, on two evenings in the
early part of 1883, will perhaps suffice to indicate the possibility
of such transmission. The percipient was a youth named Wells, at the
time of the experiments a baker's apprentice. He was hypnotised by Mr.
G. A. Smith. During the trials Wells was blindfolded, and Mr. Smith
stood behind his chair. On the first evening Mr. Smith held one of the
percipient's hands; and throughout the series it was necessary for Mr.
Smith to hold communication with Wells; the only words used, however,
being the simple uniform question, "Do you feel anything?"[28]
No. 11.--By EDMUND GURNEY.
_First Series. January 4th, 1883._
1. The upper part of Mr. Smith's right arm was pinched
continuously. Wells, after an interval of about two minutes, began
to rub the corresponding part on his own body.
2. Back of the neck pinched. Same result.
3. Calf of left leg slapped. Same result.
4. Lobe of left ear pinched. Same result.
5. Outside of left wrist pinched. Same result.
6. Upper part of back slapped. Same result.
7. Hair pulled. Wells localised the pain on his left arm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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