484 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



same reason Mme Bisson cannot surrender the medium into other hands, for 

 experiment on Eva would be equally accessible to the new influences, pre- 

 sumably evil. This is particularly noteworthy as Mme Bisson was present, 

 usually in close contact with the medium, at all the sittings of which 

 Dr. Schrenck-Notzing has personal experience. 



There follow the records of a large number of sittings, carried out in red 

 light, with careful descriptions of the phenomena seen. At the same time 

 a number of flash-light photographs are reproduced which corroborate these 

 descriptions, the control of the medium is supposed to be very careful, and 

 the descriptions of the phenomena accurate, but here Dr. Schrenck-Notzing 

 betrays the fact that he lacks the requisite scientific spirit for his task. In 

 no one case are all conditions controlled at the same time. The most com- 

 plete examination was at the sitting of November 26, 1913, described on page 

 289. There was a thorough initial and final examination (including gynaeco- 

 logical) of the medium, and of the s6ance costume and cabinet. The hands 

 and knees of the medium were apparently visible during the whole sitting ; 

 in addition, after the seance, an emetic was administered, and the contents 

 of the stomach examined. No mention, however, is made of any examination 

 of Mme Bisson or of her movements during the sitting. As at other sittings 

 described this lady frequently holds the hands of the medium and sometimes 

 enters the cabinet, such an omission should not have occurred. Various 

 examinations were made at other sittings, both of the medium and of Mme 

 Bisson, sometimes at their own suggestion, but it is not made clear whether 

 they were warned of the nature of these examinations beforehand, or whether 

 Mme Bisson was ever examined at any time other than when she herself 

 suggested it. Further doubt is thrown on the accuracy of the author's 

 evidence by Figs, iii and 112. In the first case the tone values of the enlarge- 

 ment (a) difier so materially from those of the original {b), that one doubts if 

 it is an untouched photographic enlargement. Possibly reproduction is at 

 fault, though the excellent get-up of the book does not suggest this. In the 

 second case (b) is certainly not an enlargement of {a). Such carelessness of 

 description should not be found in a book which lays claim to the greatest 

 scientific accuracy and care. 



The most serious accusation of fraud is that published by Miss Barkley 

 in the Psychic Magazine, and Dr. Schrenck-Notzing deserves great credit for 

 the fairness with which he presents the case for and against. The charge 

 is that some of the pictures materialised by Eva were merely cut from the 

 illustrated paper Le Miroir, and partly disguised by rough pencilling. In 

 Fig. 119 a photograph is reproduced in which some material appears on the 

 medium's head ; on this material " we can recognise the words ' Le ' (small 

 type) 'Miro' (large type). That is evidently meant to be ' Le Miroir.' . . . 

 I cannot form any opinion on this curious result." 



At the beginning of the next session the author remarks that Mme 

 Bisson saw the proofs of the photograph only immediately before the sitting, 

 and that Eva was not informed. He is much surprised when Eva, on going 

 into the trance, immediately said the word " Miroir " and continued, " EUe 

 voulait vous ^crire autrefois, elle voulait vous envoyer sa pensee ecrite. 

 Vous etes pour elle son miroir. Elle se revolt ici. Vous avez une 

 photographic d'une pensee de Berthe. Elle a la joie de se creer un (sic) 

 autre image." A very ingenious. escape from a slip. 



Fig. 136 shows a man's head apparently on some paper-like material ; 

 it has been suggested that this is a portrait of President Wilson cut from 

 Le Miroir, and thinly disguised by pencil work. The likeness, even in the tie 

 and collar, is so startling that it is difficult not to be suspicious. The poise of 

 the head is different, but this could be accounted for by the obvious creasing 

 of the paper. Similar pictures produced by the medium have been identified 

 with ex-President Deschanel, ex-President Poincard, and the ex- King of 



