Miscellaneous Papers. 103 



When the French scientists asked Frankhn to explain why 

 a fish swimming in water loses its weight that philosopher 

 wisely asked if the fish really did lose its weight, and testing 

 by experiment they found the fish weighed just as much in 

 water as out of it, and there was nothing to explain. 



So when we investigate the witch-hazel our first inquiry 

 should be whether it is drawn down when passed over a stream 

 or body of water. Our test is not quite so simple as was the 

 case with Franklin's fish. In the first place it costs consider- 

 able to verify by digging and the chances are that we shall 

 find water anywhere. In the second place the "witch" must 

 be a person of peculiar temperament, and so we have a psy- 

 chological problem thrust upon us and must argue with spirit 

 rappers, clairvoyants, table tipping, levitation, and witches 

 pure and simple, such as Cotton Mather, Luther, and many 

 others have believed in. All who enter this realm may as well 

 abandon science. Nevertheless experiments have been made 

 in Germany, France, and in this country, with the result that 

 no valid proof has been found to substantiate the claims of 

 the water-witches, and few scientists give them any credence. 



But there is another phase of the subject which "queers" the 

 whole proposition. It is claimed that the divining rod can 

 discover oil and gas just as certainly as it reveals water. It 

 can also show where are deposits of lead, zinc, and the precious 

 metals. This, of course, opens up a profitable trade to the 

 "fakirs," who never lack victims. 



The credulous believers try to silence their critics by quot- 

 ing the old Shakesperian adage, "There are more things in 

 heaven and earth than are dreamed of in your philosophy." 

 Then they talk about electricity, radium, the constitution of 

 matter, as if these puzzles of science were excuses for belief 

 in "old wives' fables." My conclusion is that all the claims of 

 water-witches are delusions unworthy scientific consideration. 



