The Problems of Psychical Research: Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the SupernormalCarrington, Hereward
Science
The Problems of Psychical Research: Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the Supernormal
Carrington, Hereward
Parapsychology
"'In the foregoing I have confined myself as closely as possible to
narrating how I conducted a photographic experiment open to every
one to make, avoiding stating any hypothesis or belief of my own on
the subject.'"
Let us now return to some later experiments in psychic photography. Two
small photographs, one showing a face, the other a series of small
starlike markings, were sent to me by a member of the Society for the
Study of Psychic Photography, of England. Writing of these prints, my
correspondent says:
"A week or so ago we distributed one hundred and ten strips of
sensitive film, in light-tight packages, for friends of the members
to 'wear.' This was done with the idea of ascertaining
approximately what percentage of individuals possessed this gift.
We agreed that the films should be carried about for a week, and
where possible worn round the forehead at night. The experiment
proved more successful than we had anticipated, since six out of
the one hundred and ten films were more or less affected. The two
best results are those shown on the prints enclosed herewith." (Not
shown.)
These results are quite in keeping with some that have lately been
obtained in California. In a recent communication which I have received
from Mr. Vincent Jones, Vice-President of the California Psychical
Research Society,--under whose auspices the experiment was
undertaken--he says:--
"Then we tried thought-photography. I bought some ordinary plates,
which were opened in the dark-room of an X-ray laboratory. The
plate was inclosed within an envelope of opaque black paper and
this in another envelope. It was then suspended about twelve
inches in front of the eyes of the sitting experimenter....
"This experimenter first wrote down on a slip of paper the thing he
was going to concentrate on, folded it and handed it to a
committee. Then he sat and concentrated for ten minutes. The plate
was then developed, and contained the image, clear and strong and
unmistakable, of a _cross_. This proved to be the subject handed to
the committee." (See Fig. 3.)
In view of the remarkable character of this experiment--as well as its
importance, and taking into account the apparently excellent conditions
under which the test was made, I wrote to Mr. Jones, asking him to be
kind enough to secure, if possible, the statements of any additional
witnesses who might have been present on this occasion, and he sent me,
in response to this request, the following affidavit, signed by five of
the witnesses who were present at the time:
California Psychical Research Society,
San Francisco, Calif., Nov. 3, 1920.
Dr. Hereward Carrington.
504 West 111th St.
New York City.
Dear Dr. Carrington.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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