In 1890 M. Luys made public in the June and August numbers of the "Fortnightly Review" experiments which created a profound sensation. He claimed that magnets could be made to carry the sensations of the sick to well persons who were previously hypnotized. After conveying the symptoms of the patients to the hypnotized subject he then freed him from the sensations by suggestion. M. Luys' so-called discoveries were by no means new. It was a favorite doctrine of the followers of Mesmer. The mesmerists frequently experienced the sensations of the one mesmerized. Hippocrates recognized the value of the magnet as a therapeutic agent. Medical literature has contained more or less reference to it ever since. It was filled with evidences of a belief in it during the mediceval ages.

In 1845 Reichenbach published accounts of the action of magnets upon disease. Dr. Luys 13 says that his method of therapeutics consists in the conveyance of the symptoms of the diseased subject to the hypnotized subject by means of a magnetized rod. The following are Dr. Luys' methods.

The patient places his hands upon those of the hypnotized subject. The assistant holds for a minute or two, near the arms of the two persons, an apparatus composed of three branching rods, then moves it about in various directions. The magnet is moved in the direction of the different limbs, and by these methods Dr. Luys claims that the two persons are magnetized. The movements are made with the north pole of the magnet only when they are opposite to the painful places upon the patient's body. The hypnotized person not only takes, for a time, the diseased state of the patient, but his personality is changed so that if the subject hypnotized is a female, and the sick person a bearded man, she will assume the masculine manner, and if her face is touched will act as though her beard had been pulled.

The subjects used are regular daily attendants at the laboratory. They are paid for their services. They have access to the clinical histories of the patients, and the probability is that they shrewdly guess the ailment of the patient, and in most cases assume or act the part for the purpose of deception. If the patient is suffering from paralysis, the subject acts as though he or she were paralyzed. If, however, the patient is suffering with a pulmonary or cardiac affection, the transfer is supposed to take place in these organs. I do not know that there are any recorded observations in which cardiac irregularity (irregular beating of the heart) has been transferred from the patient to the hypnotized subject. This transfer of the symptoms does not always prove beneficial. Mr. Vincent says, "Thus, a patient suffering from 'paralysis agitans' may have his affection transferred to the subject, who will adopt the most violent palsy; but all this time the patient is suffering still."

It is more probable that the ludicrous performances of the hypnotized (?) subjects are either the resnlt of wilful deception or of hypnotic suggestion. In those who are benefited by having their sensations transferred to the hypnotized subject, the benefit is probably due to either the impressions made upon them by the mimicry of the subjects or the result may be due to simple suggestion.

Dr. Luys has taught that the magnet may affect the emotions. Ho thinks that because a magnet will act upon a steel needle it will also act upon the faculties of man. He thinks that the north pole of the magnet acts in the opposite manner to the south pole.

As is well known the north pole attracts the needle while the south pole repels it.

Dr. Luys says, "If you present the north pole of the magnetic rod to a subject who is in a state of lethargy, you arouse in him movements of joy, and expansion of feeling, and if you connect him with the south pole, movements of repulsion appear."

Experiments have been made by a number of medical men to test these assertions. When Luys' subjects were aware which pole was being used they evinced the phenomena expected of them, but when the poles were wrongly labelled, or not labelled at all, some very ludicrous phenomena were observed that did not coincide with the results claimed by M. Luys. His magnet was usually labelled with a large letter N in blue ink written upon the north pole. It is claimed that hypnotized subjects will see a yellow flame issue from the north pole of the magnet, and a blue flame from the south pole. Reichenbach's subjects reversed the color of the lights seen at the two poles of the magnet.

Dr. Luys claims that he can impress the characteristic physiological effects of different drugs upon the systems of the hypnotized subjects. When these drugs are placed in sealed tubes and brought into contact with the subjects in the state of hypnosis, he can produce nausea with ipecac, intoxication with brandy, sleep with morphine, etc. I have witnessed many similar experiments conducted by some of the pupils of Dr. Joseph Rhodes Buchanan in Boston. They were not sufficiently successful to be of scientific value.

Dr. Luys also claimed that he could transfer the sensations of the hypnotized subject to a glass of water, a stick, a doll, etc. After the sensation had been transferred the subject would writhe if the water were agitated, and would evince sensations if the stick or doll were touched.

Mr. Vincent says, "Recently I gave a demonstration of the fallacies of these experiments, and the following was the report. ' The subject was now introduced, and being put into the hypnotic state, the experiment was tried with complete success. Whenever the water was touched, and the subject was aware of the fact, he shuddered and writhed until the features became distorted as if with excessive pain. When, however, the water was touched, and the patient was kept in ignorance of the fact, there was no effect whatever upon him.'"

Other writers agree with Mr. Vincent in his view of these experiments. However, it is better not to be too rash in forming conclusions. Such a thing may be possible. Twenty subjects may simulate, willingly or not, while the twenty-first may be genuinely affected.

Dr. Frederic Peterson, of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, and Mr. A. E. Kennelly, chief electrician, Edison Laboratory, Orange, N. J., reported some very conclusive experiments in the New York " Medical Journal " of December 31, 1892. They were tried at the Edison Laboratory, for at this place their facil-ities, through the kindness of Mr. Edison, were all that could be desired. Some idea of the strength of the maguets used may be gained from the fact that heavy bolts and chisels a number of feet away from the magnets were irresistibly drawn to them, and it required, so these gentleman state, a considerable muscular exertion to remove them. The experiments were conducted with the strictest scientific accuracy. All of their results were of a negative character. Their experiments were exceedingly interesting, and if the reader wishes to pursue the subject further he is referred to the journal before mentioned.

Phenomena similar to the ones described have been recorded in the literature of spiritualism in this country. Journals abound with similar descriptions. Clairvoyants claim that they can, while in the trance state, take the symptoms of the one they are examining.

For twelve years I have studied their claims carefully. I have, times without number, heard clairvoyants describe correctly the symptoms of persons who were sitting before them. Their descriptions of the real pathological conditions are often erroneous to absurdity. They will, however, locate correctly the seat of the pain.

The late Mr. Bishop, who was well known as a mind-reader, could give these descriptions with wonderful accuracy. The claim has been made that this was accomplished by muscle-reading. A clairvoyant holding the hand of the patient and beginning to describe the symptoms, the tension of the patient's muscles will indicate, it is said, whether the clairvoyant is describing correctly or not the existing symptoms.

There are clairvoyants, however, who read the symptoms of the patients without taking their hands or in any way coming in contact with them. This whole subject should be carefully investigated.

Most persons who have studied the phenomena either go determined to be, or not to be convinced, according to his or her preconceived opinion. This is of course unscientific, hut, alas! such a spirit is often not confined to the ignorant or to the half-educated. This is one of the easiest phenomena to bo investigated which has been alleged by spiritualism to bo true.

Members of this faith also believe that if they are sensitives (mediums), they are affected with the ailments of those with whom they are brought in contact. For a number of years spiritualists have claimed that a person may impart his or her physical condition to an article which has been worn or carried about the person, and the sensitive can take this article, describe the physical and mental characteristics of the person, and also his ailments, if they exist. I have given some study to this claim, but shall not record my results, as they are not as yet in such shape as to be published.

It is singular indeed, if the claim coming from so many different sources, that such phenomena are true, is wholly fallacious. It is alluded to in writings as far back as the second century, and while the present theories regarding it may be wholly untrue, a proper investigation of the subject might lead to the discovery of some principle not yet more than faintly suspected.

Had the microscope never been invented the minute constructions of our own bodies and that vast world which is revealed by microscopy, while it is invisible to the naked eye, could at best have only been conjectured. Had the early crude instruments of this class met with neglect and contempt, what a vast field of knowledge would have been forever sterile! So, no matter how seemingly unreasonable the claims may be, phenomena, especially the psychic phenomena, which carry with them the weight of a large amount of human testimony, should receive at least careful investigation. The discoveries of the world have not all been made by learned men and women.

Their classification and explanation may require your learning to properly adjust them in the niche where they belong.