ivt relation to Initiate. 4T 



tnore familiar to us. A few may be noticed in illustration 

 from among those most easily recognised. 



An atmosphere, proved by other phenomena to be highly 

 charged with electricity, produces in many persons sensations 

 resembling those of slight incipient fever; vague alterations of 

 chill and warmth on the skin, general languor of the frame, 

 debility and aching of the limbs, oppression or other uneasiness 

 about the head. In other instances, the feelings created in 

 the muscles of the trunk and limbs have more of rheumatic 

 character ; the resemblance being such as to justify a suspicion 

 that some of the muscular affections, often so tetmed, are ac- 

 tually derived from this cause. In some persons the suscepti- 

 bility is so great, that even the approach of a thunder- cloud 

 produces bodily feelings akin to those just described, together 

 with a sense of fulness and pricking about the eyes, and a slight 

 tingling over the whole body, which I have often noticed in 

 such cases. 



The effects of electricity, artificially applied, may be brought 

 into illustration here. The feelings of numbness or aching that 

 remain for some time in the muscles or joints, after the elec- 

 tric current has been passed through them (whether derived 

 from the machine, from voltaic, or electro-magnetic combina- 

 tions), much resemble those which occur in the early stage of 

 fever, or under other morbid conditions of the body ; while the 

 sensations on the skin which some persons feel in the vicinity 

 of a powerful electrical machine in action, — or by being electri- 

 fied on an insulated stool, with much conducting material 

 around, — are very similar to others of familiar occurrence, ob- 

 served especially in certain states of the atmosphere, while 

 electrical changes are going on. And in cases of this kind, 

 there is also a certain degree of languor, or CA^en diminished 

 frequency of the pulse; varying in different individuals, but 

 still uniform enough to prove the reality and nature of the effect. 

 One of the best tests of the actual operation of atmospheric 



lial of Medical Science for January, 1838. A lady, without any adequate 

 cause, passed suddenly into a state in which she throw out electric spai-ks 

 to any conductor around her, sometimes to the distance of an inch and a half, 

 with the ordinary sensations attending electrical action ; this state continuing 

 for several months, and subsiding by gradual diminution of the power. 

 Other singular details of this case are given, on authority which appears to 

 be good, and without any obvious sources of Callacy. 



