Mysterious Psychic Forces: An Account of the Author's Investigations in Psychical Research, Together with Those of Other European SavantsFlammarion, Camille
Philosophy
Mysterious Psychic Forces: An Account of the Author's Investigations in Psychical Research, Together with Those of Other European Savants
Flammarion, Camille
Parapsychology -- Investigation; Spiritualism
The following series of experiments were tried with more delicate
apparatus, and with another person, a lady, Mr. Home being absent. As
the lady is non-professional, I do not mention her name. She has,
however, consented to meet any scientific men whom I may introduce for
purposes of investigation.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.]
A piece of thin parchment, A, Figs. 11 and 12, is stretched tightly
across a circular hoop of wood. B C is a light lever turning on D. At
the end, B, is a vertical needle-point touching the membrane, A, and
at C is another needle-point, projecting horizontally and touching a
smoked glass plate, E F. This glass plate is drawn along in the
direction, H G, by clockwork, K. The end, B, of the lever is weighted
so that it shall quickly follow the movements of the centre of the
disc, A. These movements are transmitted and recorded on the glass
plate, E F, by means of the lever and needle-point, C. Holes are cut
in the side of the hoop to allow a free passage of air to the under
side of the membrane. The apparatus was well tested beforehand by
myself and others, to see that no shaking or jar on the table or
support would interfere with the results. The line traced by the
point, C, on the smoked glass was perfectly straight in spite of all
our attempts to influence the lever by shaking the stand or stamping
on the floor.
[Illustration: FIG. 13.]
_Experiment V._--Without having the object of the instrument explained
to her, the lady was brought into the room and asked to place her
fingers on the wooden stand at the points, L M, Fig. 11. I then placed
my hands over hers to enable me to detect any conscious or unconscious
movement on her part. Presently percussive noises were heard on the
parchment, resembling the dropping of grains of sand on its surface.
At each percussion a fragment of graphite which I had placed on the
membrane was seen to be projected upwards about 1-50th of an inch, and
the end, C, of the lever moved slightly up and down. Sometimes the
sounds were as rapid as those from an induction-coil, whilst at others
they were more than a second apart. Five or six tracings were taken,
and in all cases a movement of the end, C, of the lever was seen to
have occurred with each vibration of the membrane.
In some cases the lady's hands were not so near the membrane as L M,
but were at N O, Fig. 12.
The accompanying figure 13 gives tracings taken from the plates used
on these occasions.
_Experiment VI._--Having met with these results in Mr. Home's absence,
I was anxious to see what action would be produced on the instrument
in his presence.
Accordingly I asked him to try, but without explaining the instrument
to him.
[Illustration: FIG. 14.]
[Illustration: FIG. 15.]
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