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
Regarding these "vital radiations" issuing from the body, a number of
interesting experiments were undertaken in this connection in Poland,
Paris and elsewhere. M. Durville obtained imprints of hands, from which
emanated streaks of light, as though the hands were radio-active; indeed
in no other way can we account for these results.
[Illustration: "Psychic Photographs" (6, 7)]
I next present a remarkable series of photographs, kindly lent to me by
Lady Glenconner,--to whom I am indebted for permission to reproduce
them. These photographs were taken at the "Crewe Circle," in the
presence of Mr. Hope, the medium. Personally, I have never had the
opportunity to attend a Crewe seance, and hence cannot speak of the
evidential value of these pictures from first-hand evidence. All I can
say is that Mr. Hope is not a professional "medium," in the usual sense
of the term, since he receives no payment for his services; that no
evidence of fraud, in connection with his photographs, has ever been
forthcoming; and that rigid test conditions have, apparently, been
enforced on a number of occasions, when successful "extras" were
obtained upon the plates. In practically all the cases known to me, the
sitters provided their own marked plates, placed them in the camera
themselves, took them out themselves, and developed them themselves.
Such, I understand, were the conditions under which the accompanying
photographs were obtained. All that Mr. Hope does is to place his
(opened) hands upon the plate-_holders_, after the plates have been
inserted therein, and before these are placed in the camera. It is
during this period that the psychic "extras," appearing upon the plates,
are thought to appear; or at all events it is this "magnetizing" of the
plates which renders them susceptible to impressions which would not be
recorded upon ordinary plates. How far this belief of the sitters
coincides with the actual facts of course I cannot say.
The first photograph shows us Lady Glenconner, seated, with a
clearly-defined face over her right arm. This face is enshrouded in the
same curious mist-like "clothing," common to "spirit" photographs, and
materialized forms, and especially evident in all the Crewe pictures.
The face is, I understand, recognizable as that of a lost friend. (Fig.
4.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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