CORRESP ONDENCE. 



363 



hensible cause, rather than to the rational 

 explanation of unconscious movement. 

 Some time since, I had a curious illustration 

 of this f-ict, and at the same time an admi- 

 rable proof of the physical theory (if any 

 were required), in an experiment suggested 

 by a gentleman of this city. I had con- 

 cluded a successful exhibition at an evening 

 company, and described the precise method 

 by which the experiments had been per- 

 formed. This gentleman said to me pri- 

 vately that he could suggest an experiment 

 which, if successful, would disprove my 

 theory of muscular or physical movement. 

 I retired from the room, ar.d was brought in 

 blindfolded. Meanwhile he had requested a 

 very good subject with whom I had done a 

 number of complicated things to hide an 

 article. The gentleman then took the towel 

 from my head and blindfolded the " sub- 

 ject " turned him rapidly round several 

 times, and told him to think of the object. 

 He said, " Now you will find it by mental 

 communication only." I started off rapidly, 

 but, of course, received no indications. I 

 then purposely touched his hand to the 

 niautel-piece in the back-parlor. Instantly 

 he unconsciously calculated the position of 

 the hidden article and directed (not led, for 

 I always go in advance of the "subject") 

 me toward the front-room ; then he was 

 lost, until I again touched his hand to 

 some object, when I received a fresh indica- 

 tion. In this way I finally found a ten-cent 

 note, rolled into a little ball, and attached 

 to the lower knot of a cord running through 

 the handle of a small feather-duster, which 

 was hanging from the bell-handle on the 

 wall. I did not, however, immediately pro- 

 duce it, as I wished to experiment further. 

 I led the "subject" off to another part of 

 the room, and he immediately brought me 

 back to the duster. Again I led him away 

 to the same place, and turned him round so 

 as to confuse him. All indications ceased, 

 even when I held his hand within an inch 

 of the duster. 



In regard to finding small objects, I 

 have no difficulty in picking out any letter 

 on a page of a book or newspaper, and I 

 frequently spell out abstract thoughts or 

 names of people, places, etc., thought of, in 

 this way: I hold a sharp-pointed stick or 

 pen-handle in my left hand, pointing down- 

 ward, with the same hand grasping the left 

 hand of the " subject." I thus pick out 

 letters on the page which spell the thought 

 in the mind of the " subject." 



The power of perception of these minute 

 indications is capable of being developed 

 to an astonishing degree, and I have often 

 been amazed at the curious effects pro- 

 duced, a few of which I have indicated to 

 you. 



To the Editor of the Popular Science Monthly. 



In Tyndall's discourse on " Fermenta- 

 tion and its Bearings on the Phenomena of 

 Disease," as published in the December 

 number of The Popular Science Monthly, 

 he describes an injury he met with in fall- 

 ing upon some sharp rocks. He limped to 

 his hotel, and remained quietly in bed for 

 four or five days, and, having quite recov- 

 ered, removed the bandages, and found the 

 wound " perfectly clean, uninflamed, and 

 entirely free from pus." This slight expos- 

 ure led to inflammation, an accumulation 

 of pus, and, finally, to an abscess several 

 inches below the wound, and might have 

 led to fatal results. A year after, Tyndall 

 exposed in the same room tubes containing 

 organic infusions, and in two days the infu- 

 sions were swarming with the bacteria of 

 putrefaction with wliich the dust-laden at- 

 mosphere was charged. 



I have lately been reading General Ha- 

 zen's interesting book entitled "The School 

 and the Army," and in it find the following 

 testimony regarding the treatment of wounds 

 in in - door and out - door hospitals, which, 

 taken in connection with Dr. Canniff's cor- 

 respondence in the April number of your 

 magazine concerning Dr. Lister's antiseptic 

 treatment of wounds, may be of interest to 

 your readers. General Hazen says : 



" The Germans have fallen into the same 

 error that we committed that of using 

 buildings for hospitals instead of tents, or 

 field - hospitals ; and there is scarcely a 

 doubt that the French will do likewise. It 

 is unaccountable that scientific and prac- 

 tical medical men do not appreciate and 

 advocate the advantages of out-door over 

 in - door hospitals. It is a matter of the 

 gravest importance, and the humane societies 

 of Christendom can in no way do more good 

 than by thoroughly investigating and mak- 

 ing generally known the facts relating to 

 permanent hospitals in time of war. Tlie 

 seeds of disease cling to the walls, ceilings, 

 and floors, and the death-rate of the wounded 

 is often greatly increased by putting them 

 in these places. So strongly was I impressed 

 with this in our war that, as far as was in 

 my power, I kept my wounded out of them. 

 At the battle of Mission Ridge, the colonel 

 of the Forty-first Ohio lost his leg above the 

 knee by a musket-shot I forbade his going 

 to hospital, and caused him to be treated in 

 his rude, split-shingle cabin, and his recov- 

 ery was remarkably rapid. Officers of my 

 command who were grazed by musket-shot 

 upon the arms were put into the hospital, 

 and died from gangrene. At that battle the 

 wounded of General Thomas's army were 

 treated in fixed hospitals, or buildings fitted 

 up beforehand at Chattanooga, with many 

 comforts and good care. The proportion of 

 deaths among the wounded was frightful ; 

 and we were told that it was due to the low 



