Chapter I: Is Psychical Research a Science? (3)

"For the sake of argument, let us assume that the intelligences
that communicate through the organism of Mrs. Piper--and perhaps of
some other mediums--are spirits of the departed, and that they
temporarily 'possess' the organism of the medium (at least in part)
during the process of communicating. That is the generally-held
theory, I believe, and the simplest one to account for the facts.
If this be true, it is to be supposed that the normal consciousness
of the medium is in some manner removed, superseded, or withdrawn,
and that only some "vegetable consciousness" remains, as it were,
sufficient to keep the organism going until the return of the
normal consciousness and normal control by the medium. Meanwhile,
the controlling intelligence is, by supposition, influencing the
nervous mechanism of the medium's body--directly or indirectly
through some etheric medium--and influencing it to write out
letters and words by the usual slow and laborious process. That
they _do_ find it slow and laborious is evidenced by the fact that
all possible abbreviations are adopted--'U.D.' being used for
'Understand'; 'M' is frequently written 'N,' and so on. Even in our
normal life we know that thoughts frequently flow faster than we
can put them on to paper, and this would almost certainly be the
case with spiritual intelligences who have no material brain to
hinder their flow of thought. It is probable that the brain is as
much an inhibitory organ as anything else; and when this inhibition
is removed, it is natural to suppose that the flow of thought would
be far less controllable and far more automatic than it is with us.
It would be impossible for spirits to check and go on with their
stream of thought at will, as we do on this hypothesis; they would
be far more automatic and less under the control of the will. If
this were true, it would account for much of the confusion present
in the communications. Suppose a spirit is trying to communicate
some fact or incident in its past life. It is endeavouring to force
this thought through, in the face of great difficulties, and while
trying to retain its grasp of the organism. Now, let us suppose
that this stream of thought is suddenly interrupted by the sitter
asking an abrupt question--referring to another incident
altogether, and perhaps related to another time in the
communicator's life. Is it not natural to suppose that, labouring
under these difficulties, and lacking the inhibitory action of the
brain, the communicator's mind should wander, and that he should
either think aloud to himself as it were (all this coming through
as confused writing, be it understood), or that the spirit should
lose its grasp of the organism altogether and drift away? The mind
cannot retain two vivid pictures at the same time; either one or
the other must grow fogged and dim; and this would certainly be so
in the case of any communicator, where we may suppose a certain
amount of mental energy--corresponding to a mental picture
perhaps--is necessitated in the very process of holding the control
of the organism. If communications take place at all in reality, we
may well suppose that the difficulties of communicating would be so
great that all clear, systematic thinking would be impossible.
People seem to imagine that the process of communication is as
simple as possible, instead of the most delicate and complicated
imaginable--the very difficulty being evinced by the rarity of the
intelligible communications coming through. If any one were to try
the simple subjective test of closing the eyes and attempting to
conceive his spirit controlling some _other_ person's organism, he
would very easily perceive the tremendous difficulties in the way
of controlling an organism other than his own!

"However, my object in writing this letter is not to point out
difficulties of this character, which are probably well understood
by the majority of the readers of the _Journal_. It is to draw
attention to another fact, and an analogy. Let us take a man in
good health, whose brain and mental functions are normal. Let this
man be all but killed in a railroad accident. In the jar and shock
of the collision this man was thrown (let us say) against an iron
post, and his head badly cut and bruised. He was knocked
insensible, and it was several hours before he returned to the
first dim consciousness of his surroundings. Gradually he would
revive. Objects would present themselves to his eyesight vaguely,
indistinctly; he would "see men as trees walking." Sounds would be
heard, but indistinctly; there would be a vague jumble of noises,
and no definite and articulate sounds would be recognized at first,
and until consciousness was more fully restored. Tactile
sensations, smell and touch, would probably come last, and be least
powerful of all; they would not be even distinguishable until
consciousness was almost completely normal. All intellectual
interests would be abolished, only the most loving and tender
thoughts would be entertained or tolerable, and these would be
swallowed up, very largely, in the great, central fact that the
body and head were in great pain; that the memory was impaired, and
that anything like normal thinking and a normal grasp of the
organism was impossible. Thoughts would be scattered, incoherent,
and only the strongest stimuli would focus the attention on any
definite object for longer than a few moments at a time, and
perhaps even these would fail. But if oxygen gas were administered
to such a person, in moderate doses, he would recover and rally
far more quickly and effectually than if no such stimulant were
employed. He would rally more quickly, and be enabled to think more
clearly and consistently--at least _pro tem._ In shocks to the
living consciousness this would almost certainly be the case.

"Now, when we come to die, the departure of the soul from the body
must be a great strain and stress upon the surviving consciousness,
and must shock it tremendously--just as the accident shocked it in
the case given above. Certainly this would be so in the case of all
_sudden_ deaths, and in those cases which 'die hard'; and it is
natural to suppose that it would be true also, more or less, in
every case of death, however natural--since the separation of
consciousness from its brain must be the greatest shock that any
given consciousness could receive in the course of its natural
existence. But after a time the spirit is supposed to outlive and
'get over' this initial shock, and to regain its normal functions
and faculties. In its normal life, it is then supposed to be once
more free and unhampered by any of the bodily conditions that
rendered its manifestations on earth defective. But when this
consciousness comes once more to communicate, it seems to again
take on the conditions of earth life, i.e. those conditions which
were present when the person died, and this would account for the
fact, often observed, that mediums 'take on' the conditions of
certain spirits who are communicating, i.e. they suffer _pro tem._
from heart or bowel trouble, pains in the head, etc. Further, this
seems to extend to the mental functions and conditions also. Idiocy
and insanity, e.g., are supposed to gradually wear off in the next
life, and a gradual return to normal conditions ensue. This is, at
least, the statement made through several mediums, and it is only
natural to suppose that such should be the case. The spirit
gradually returns to a normal mental condition; but when any
attempt is made to return to the 'earth plane,' and especially to
communicate, these conditions return with greater or lesser
force--varying with and depending upon the length of time such a
person had been dead, and other considerations. On any theory, the
consciousness must undergo some sort of temporary disintegration,
while communicating, and must be scattered over a wide field of
recollection, while at the same time attempting to 'hold on' to the
organism. It must also be remembered that the flow of thought is
far more automatic than with us. All this being so, we can readily
understand that any attempt at communication would be attended with
the greatest difficulties, and such a consciousness, if it were
constantly interrupted by questions, etc., would tend to go to
pieces--to lose its grasp of the organism, and to drift away--only
confusion and error coming through. This consciousness might be
strengthened and rendered clearer, perhaps, by the presentation of
some object belonging to the person when alive--as, no matter how
explained, this seems to clear the communications. Any means that
can be adopted to render clearer the mind of the communicator, on
the one hand, or improve the condition of the nervous mechanism of
the medium on the other, should therefore be of great utility and
should at least be tried. This being so, I now come to the heart of
the matter, and offer a suggestion which, if followed out, might
improve the physical body of the medium, and hence render the
conditions better from _this_ side--as the presentation of objects
might be supposed to render the conditions better from the other
side.

"I have pointed out before that, in certain cases, when it is
desirable to restore the consciousness and to render its renewal
more certain and clear (after an accident, e.g., that has knocked a
person senseless) a mixture of oxygen gas is sometimes administered
to the patient in order to produce these results. This being so, I
ask: why may it not be a good idea to administer a diluted mixture
of this gas to the medium when she is in a trance state--and when a
communicator is attempting to convey his thought to the sitter by
means of automatic writing? Might not such an experiment be tried,
since no _harm_ could come to the medium if the oxygen were diluted
and only sufficiently strong to effect the desired results? And
might not its administration tend to improve the tone of the
nervous system _pro tem._, and render clearer the consciousness
that is trying to use it and manifest through it--just as one's own
consciousness might be rendered clearer by the same device? Of
course such a process might have the effect (especially at first)
of breaking the trance altogether, and of reviving the medium. But
if the medium understood the experiment beforehand, and the process
were also explained to the controls, it is reasonable to suppose
that--after some trials at any rate--the trance would not be
broken, and that better, clearer results would follow. At all
events, when some of our physicians in America are experimenting
upon the effects of various electrical rays upon mediums in a
trance, might not this far simpler and better-understood method be
tried with more or less impunity? I at least suggest that it be so
tried."

23. It must not be thought that this "possession" theory of the Piper and similar cases is the only one which has been held in the past. On the contrary, as we know, there have been several others--Mrs. Sidgwick's telepathic theory--from the discarnate; Mr. Andrew Lang's theory of telepathy _a trois_; Mr. Podmore's theory of simple telepathy; the theory held by Andrew Jackson Davis and other clairvoyants, that there exists a sort of mirror-like sphere, upon which all thoughts and acts are recorded, and which the medium is somehow enabled to "read" during the trance state; the theory that discarnate spirits somehow project their thoughts upon a wax-like surface of astral substance, and that the medium is enabled to reinterpret them in some mysterious manner; the Theosophical theory; the theory of the occultists and mystics; the Catholic theory--that these manifestations are all the result of evil, lying spirits--these are but a few of the hypotheses which have been advanced in the past by way of explanation of these phenomena. I may say that this latter theory has some respectable evidence in its support, by the way, a few very remarkable cases having come under my own observation, which I hope to detail at some future time; and Dr. J. Godfrey Raupert has cited some impressive cases in his _Dangers of Spiritualism_, _Modern Spiritism_, and _The Supreme Problem_. This is assuredly a side of psychic investigation which demands close study and prolonged investigation; and, in spite of the masterly analysis of some of these cases by Professor Flournoy in his _Spiritism and Psychology_ (chap. iii.), I cannot but feel that there is yet much to be learned as to the nature of the intelligence manifested in these cases. And this was, as we know, the opinion also of Professor William James, for he wrote (_Proceedings of S.P.R._, vol. xxiii. p. 118): "The refusal of modern 'enlightenment' to treat 'possession' as a hypothesis to be spoken of as even possible, in spite of the massive human tradition based on concrete experience in its favour, has always seemed to me a curious example of the power of fashion in things scientific. That the demon theory (not necessarily a devil theory) will have its innings again is to my mind absolutely certain.... One must be blind and ignorant indeed to suspect no such possibility...." It must by no means be taken for granted, therefore, that the intelligences operating through Mrs. Piper and other mediums are all that they claim to be, even if their externality to the medium were proved.... We must be extremely cautious in accepting any messages coming through mediums until the most certain and convincing proofs of identity be forthcoming--and _then_ we should be cautious!

The only plausible theory which in any way accounts for the Piper and similar phenomena--short of the spiritistic--is one based upon the existence of independently fluctuating strata of the medium's mind, acquiring their knowledge by means of telepathy, clairvoyance, and other supernormal means. This view of the case is held and defended with extreme ingenuity and persuasiveness by Professor Flournoy in his _Spiritism and Psychology_--a book which I myself think should be read by every one interested in psychics or inclined to "dabble in spiritualism." The complete isolation and individuality of the various personalities involved could only be explained, it seems to me, by postulating a series of subliminal strata, between which there would be no memory connection--very much like Mr. Gurney's strata obtained by him and described in his paper on "The Stages of Hypnotic Memory" (_Proceedings_, vol. iv. pp. 515-31). In this way alone could we account for the facts; but even so, are they explained?

When psychical research becomes a recognized science there will be ample room for "specialization," and for many years of study in each branch of the work. Consider, for instance, the many ramifications and possibilities which would be thrown open to the researcher! A man might become a "specialist" in haunted houses, in the investigation of such cases, and in their "treatment" and "cure." He would then have to investigate the nature and character of the phenomena which occur in them, and of the intelligences which manifest themselves. The nature of the figures seen in such houses would form a special branch of research, and the degree of their objectivity or subjectivity in any particular case. Numerous experiments might be tried, such as crystal-gazing, automatic writing, seances, induced dreams, etc. Experiments should be tried in photographing the apparitions, and in getting them to register their presence upon delicate and sensitive instruments of all sorts. Phonographic records of the "footsteps" of the ghost (if such occur) should be made, and a record taken of all the sounds and noises which occur in the house. Clairvoyants should be sent on "trips" to ascertain the character of the haunting, if possible, in order to "check off" their descriptions against the experiences of those living in the house. Communication should be established with the "haunting spirits," if possible, by means of raps, table-tipping, etc. The character of the phenomena should be studied, and the _physical_ separated from the _mental_. The nature of the intelligence "haunting" the house should be investigated psychologically. The dreams of those who sleep in the house should be recorded and analysed. Animals should be taken to live in the house, to see whether or not they perceive anything unusual. The effect of suggestion, exorcism, etc., should be tried and noted. Experiments in hypnotism, "magnetism," etc., should be conducted in the house. Red lights and lights of other colours should be tried, to see whether they affect the phenomena in any manner. These are but a few of the many tests and experiments that might be made, and which would doubtless suggest themselves to the mind of the investigator as soon as the legitimacy of the subject were once granted.

Again, in the case of telepathy. Once the facts were proved, the fascinating study of the laws and causes would begin. Under what mental, physical, and, possibly, spiritual conditions does telepathy operate? What is the best mental condition of the agent? of the percipient? What would be the effect of hypnotic trance? What of dreams? (These are not original ideas, but they have never been followed out as they should be, and might be, if the subject were pursued scientifically as other questions in science are.) Again, might not telepathy be facilitated if we chose individuals of the same general temperament? If we chose two individuals to whom the same chord on the piano appealed (say the common chord of G minor or C sharp), and this chord were struck repeatedly, might not telepathic transmission be facilitated under such conditions? If both subjects were hypnotized, and the agent were told to "will" certain figures, etc., might not the percipient receive them more easily? If both agent and percipient were placed in a strong magnetic or high-tension electric field, might not this in some way influence communication? Again, these are but a very few of the experiments which might be tried, once telepathy became an accepted fact.

In the case of clairvoyance the field is even greater, but here more original work has been done, owing largely to the fact that many of the experiments have been conducted upon subjects in the hypnotic trance, and hence more fully resembled "laboratory experiments." Still, much remains to be done, particularly in the realm of the _explanation_ of clairvoyance, and in the investigation of the neural and general physiological concomitants of the condition.

In the field of "thought-" and "spirit-photography," the possibilities of research and experimentation are obvious and almost unlimited. The recent researches of Dr. Ochorowicz in "radiographs," and of Commandant Darget in thought-photography and the so-called V-rays, are of extreme importance, if true. Here is a field which any one may invade; and, with the aid of a camera and specially sensitive plates, might accomplish really valuable and striking results. Very rarely have attempts been made to photograph apparitions (probably because they were too fleeting and unexpected), and the forms at seances have been photographed on only a few occasions. The human "aura"--granting it exists--should certainly be capable of being photographed, under certain conditions, as well as the radiation said to issue from magnets, crystals, etc., as explained by Reichenbach.

The human "aura" itself should be made the subject of special study. Here is a perfectly tangible thing, so to speak, which physicists can work on to their hearts' content, without becoming "contaminated" by the general run of psychic manifestations! Is the aura a form of physical radiation? Does it affect the atmosphere? Can it be photographed? Is it connected with the phenomena of exteriorization of sensitivity or motivity? Will it affect the galvanometer needle, or other delicate electrical or physical instruments? Is it connected with the "astral" or "etheric body"? What is its condition when the subject is asleep? Can it be altered at will? Is it affected by passing a high-tension current through the body of the subject? (We know that these high-tension currents will themselves create an electric aura around the body.) What becomes of the aura after death; and what changes, if any, does it undergo at the moment of death? Such are a few of the questions which the psychic student might ask himself, and which certainly call for solution.

Once more: is "psychometry" a fact? If objects can retain certain "influences" within them, what is their nature, and how are they retained? How does the sensitive perceive these impressions? Is there not a connection between these phenomena and haunted houses? or between the "charging-up" of a table or planchette board before it proceeds to answer questions and behave in the manner it is often reported to do?

What is the nature of the "cold breeze" which is so often experienced, not only at seances, but during very many psychic phenomena, both of the experimental and spontaneous types, in all parts of the world? Is it a physical breeze, or is it purely "psychical"? Could it be collected and analysed, as was suggested in the case of the cold breeze issuing from the scar on Eusapia Palladino's forehead? What is its source? And what is its object? On this subject alone much suggestive and valuable research might be undertaken.

Take the simple phenomena of _raps_. What produces them? What is the bond between the hand of the medium which makes a gesture in the direction of the table, and the table itself? What is the nature of the physical impact upon the table? Are these raps due to exteriorized vital force? If so, does this energy exude from the nerve termini, or is it connected only with the etheric body or double? Can these raps be controlled at will, or directed and controlled when the subject is under hypnosis? Can this energy be directed at will? Could it not impress delicate physical instruments? Might not a connection be thus established between these phenomena and the impressions of hands and faces, etc., occasionally seen in the presence of Eusapia and other mediums?

Then the phenomena of materialization! Here is a wide field for study indeed! How can such an organism be built up? Out of what materials is it constructed? What degree of density can be attained? What is the power which manipulates this matter? and what is the structure of the matter itself? How can _will_ plastically mould matter in space? On what framework, so to speak, is the body constructed? What is the nature of the vital drain upon the medium and the sitters? What is the nature of the intelligence animating the materialized figure? What is the connection between so-called "thought-forms" and materialized phantoms?

These are but some of the questions which would suggest themselves, and call for solution when "psychics" is recognized as a legitimate science, as it surely will be one day. These are problems mostly on the physical plane; but the psychological problems are just as many and just as alluring! I have referred to some of these elsewhere; and would content myself with again saying, that only when the _facts_ of psychical research are recognized will their real, scientific study begin.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The copy of this book in my possession is the copy once owned by Dr. Hodgson--having his name in the front, and the date, April 1881. This passage is marked with a thick red pencil stroke, showing the importance which Dr. Hodgson attached to the point here made.

[2] Might not this account for the fact that trance or "spirit control" practically never occurs during the hours of sleep? Even "obsessed" patients find peace and rest during their sleeping hours. Is this not, in all probability, due to the fact that the mind is, at such times, forced in upon itself; as it were--instead of being directed outwards--away from the centre of being, as it is daily, during conscious life? It is probably nature's protective device--ensuring the stability and integrity of the psychic "self."

[3] Kilner, _The Human Atmosphere_. I myself have conducted a number of interesting experiments in this direction, which I hope to make public at a later date.

[4] Townsend, _Facts in Mesmerism_, p. 215.

[5] _Metaphysick_, bk. iii. ch. v.

[6] _Body and Mind_, pp. 299-300.

[7] _Eusapia Palladino and her Phenomena_, pp. 293-301.

[8] _Vitality, Fasting and Nutrition_, p. 41. For discussions of this question from a variety of different points of view, see _Life and Matter_, by Lodge; _The Riddle of the Universe_, Haeckel; _The Correlation of Spiritual Forces_, by Hartmann; "Consciousness and Force," _Met. Mag._, Oct. 1910; the article on "Consciousness and Energy," by Professor Montague, in _Essays in Honour of William James_, and pp. 283-5 of _The New Realism_, etc.

[9] Bulwer Lytton, with his usual remarkable foresight in things psychic, clearly perceived this. In his story, "The Haunters and the Haunted," he says: "In all that I had witnessed, and indeed in all the wonders which the amateurs of mystery in our age record as facts, a material human agency is always required. On the Continent you will still find magicians who assert that they can raise spirits. Assume for a moment that they assert truly, still the living, material form of the magician is present, and he is the material agency by which, from some constitutional peculiarities, certain strange phenomena are represented to your natural senses.... Accept again as truthful the tales of spirit manifestation in America, produced by no discernible hand--articles of furniture moved about without visible human agency--or the actual sight and touch of hands to which no bodies seem to belong--still there must be found the "medium," or living being, with constitutional peculiarities capable of obtaining these signs. In fine, in all such marvels, supposing even that there is no imposture, there must be a human being like ourselves, by whom, or through whom, the effects presented to human beings are produced."

[10] It should be said, however, that--apart from its innate difficulties--this theory has recently received its death-blow by the discovery of the fact that space is filled with ultra-violet rays, which would soon prove fatal to all forms of life.

[11] See, especially, Duncan, _Some Chemical Problems of Today_, pp. 63-83 and 97-104.

[12] "Rector" is the name of Mrs. Piper's chief control and amanuensis, during her trance sittings.