Popular Superstitions, and the Truths Contained Therein: With an Account of MesmerismMayo, Herbert
History
Popular Superstitions, and the Truths Contained Therein: With an Account of Mesmerism
Mayo, Herbert
Mesmerism; Parapsychology and medicine; Superstition
X. Repeat experiment I., but let the Od-subject be a double row
of five sovereigns, each disposed longitudinally from you, and
hold the odometer over the middle of the double row of sovereigns.
_Result_—Longitudinal oscillations, but the excursions are inordinately
long. Still, on touching the forefinger with the thumb, the
oscillations become either transverse, or the odometer moves in an
ellipse, of which the long axis corresponds with the axis of the double
line of sovereigns.
XI. Dispose ten sovereigns longitudinally from you in two parallel
rows, an inch and a half apart, and hold the odometer over the middle
of the interval. _Result_—Longitudinal oscillations.
XII. Modify experiment XI. by holding the odometer not midway, but
nearer one of the rows of sovereigns. _Result_—Oblique oscillations.
XIII. Dispose ten sovereigns heaped in a short longitudinal group, and
hold the odometer over the table half an inch to one side of the middle
of the heap. _Result_—Transverse oscillations.
From the latter experiments and their modifications, it became evident
that the magnitude and shape of the Od-subject have each a direct
influence on the result. A greater force of attraction evidently exists
towards the greater mass.
XIV. Odometer held over the northward pole of a magnetic needle
contained in a compass-box under glass. _Result_—Rotatory motion in the
direction of the hands of a watch.
XV. Odometer held over the southward pole. _Result_—Rotatory motion in
the direction contrary to the motion of the hands of a watch.
XVI. Repeat experiments XIV. and XV., with the difference of touching
the forefinger implicated in the odometer with the thumb of the same
hand. _Results_—The rotatory motions observed in the two experiments
referred to become exactly reversed.
XVII. Hold the odometer over the centre of the needle.
_Result_—Oscillations at right angles, or transverse, to the axis of
the needle.
XVIII. Hold the odometer over, and half an inch to one side of, the
centre of the needle. _Result_—Oscillations parallel to the axis of the
needle.
XIX. Repeat experiment XIV. Then, during its continuance, place a pile
of three sovereigns on the compass-box, in front of the northward
pole of the needle, and about an inch from it. _Result_—Direction of
original rotatory motion reversed.
Then follow experiments with results exactly parallel to the preceding,
having the greatest physiological interest.
XX. Hold the odometer over the tip of the forefinger of your disengaged
hand. _Result_—Rotatory motion in the direction of the hands of a watch.
XXI. Hold the odometer over the thumb of your disengaged hand.
_Result_—Rotatory motion against that of the hands of a watch.
XXII. Hold up the forefinger and thumb of the disengaged hand, their
points being at two and a half inches apart. Hold the odometer in the
centre of a line which would join the points of the finger and thumb.
_Result_—Oscillations transverse to the line indicated.
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