No. 7.—By HERR MAX DESSOIR.
In June 1885 some successful experiments in thought-transference were made by Herr Dessoir, of Berlin, author of A Bibliography of Modern Hypnotism, and other works, with the co-operation of some friends, Herren Weiss, Biltz, and Sachse. There were in all eighteen trials with diagrams in which Herr Dessoir was the percipient. The diagrams which follow—reproduced from the original drawings—were the result of six consecutive trials. They are, as will be seen, not completely successful, but they convey a fair idea of the amount of success attained in the whole series. It should be noted that the impression received by the percipient appears to have been persistent; and that the second attempt at reproduction, in five out of the six cases, was more successful than the first. Herr Dessoir states that he was generally out of the room whilst the figure was being drawn; he returned at the given signal, with eyes closely bandaged; "I set myself at the table, and in many instances placed my hands on the table, and the agent placed his hands on mine; the hands lay quite still on one another. When an image presented itself to my mind, the hands were removed … and I took off the bandage and drew my figure."
A full account of these experiments, and of others conducted by Herr Dessoir, will be found in Proc. S.P.R., vol. iv. pp. 111–126; vol. v. pp. 355–357.
I.
REP. 1. REP. 2.
While the second reproduction was proceeding, an interruption occurred which prevented its completion.
ORIG.
Agent: W. S.
II.
ORIG.
Agent: H. B.
REP. 1. REP. 2. REP. 3. REP. 4.
III.
ORIG.
Agent: H. B.
REP. 1. REP. 2. REP. 3.
The percipient said, "It looks like a
window."
IV.
ORIG.
Agent: H. B.
REP. 1.
REP. 2.
REP. 3.
V.
ORIG.
Agent: H. B.
REP. 1. REP. 2.
VI.
ORIG. REP. 1. REP. 2.
Agent: E. W. The percipient said, "It looks like a window."
No. 8.—By HERR SCHMOLL and M. MABIRE.
Of more recent experiments with diagrams, those recorded by Herr Anton Schmoll and M. Etienne Mabire are perhaps the most important.[23] The experiments took place at Herr Schmoll's house, 111 Avenue de Villiers, Paris. In addition to Herr Schmoll and M. Mabire, Frau Schmoll and four or five other persons assisted at one time or another. Mr. F. W. H. Myers was also present on three occasions. In all about 100 trials were made with diagrams and real objects (the actual number of experiments of all kinds was 148), full details of which will be found in the original papers. The experiments were made in the evenings, in a room lighted by a hanging lamp. The agents, usually three or four in number, sat at a round table immediately under the lamp, and fixed their eyes on the diagram or object, which was placed on the table before them. The percipient, with his eyes bandaged, sat in full view of the agents with his back to them in a corner of the room at a distance of about ten feet from the object. Silence was maintained during the experiments, except where otherwise expressly stated. The object or diagram was carefully hidden before the handkerchief was removed from the eyes of the percipient to enable him to draw his impression. In the first nineteen experiments the figure was drawn with the end of a match dipped in ink, whilst the percipient was in the room. It was not likely, under the circumstances, as the match moved almost noiselessly over the paper, that any indication of the figure drawn could by this means have been given to the percipient. Nevertheless, in the later experiments quoted the precaution was taken to draw the figure whilst the percipient was in another room, and a soft brush was substituted for the match. The following is a record, by Herr Schmoll, of the last two evenings of the first series:—
18.—August 24th, 1886.
Agents—Mdlle. Louise, Frau Schmoll, Schmoll.
Percipient—M. Mabire.
Object (drawn)—
Result—M. Mabire saw "a sort of semicircle like the tail of a comet, but of spiral construction, like some of the nebulæ." What he saw he reproduced in the following manner:—
19.—The same evening.
Agents—Mdlle. Louise, M. Mabire, Frau Schmoll.
Percipient—Schmoll.
Object (drawn)—
Result—"I see two double lines, that cross each other at about right angles." (Pause.) "The two double lines now appear single, but like rays of light, and in the form of an X." (Another pause.) "Now I see the upper part of the X separated from the lower by a vertical line." I draw:—