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On some Supposed Electrical Phenomena in Water-Finding. By 
Surgeon-Major A. A. MANTELL, M.D. 
(Read January 11th, 1899.) 
Ihave the honour to bring before the Members of the Bath 
Field Club the result of some experiments which I made a few 
months ago with Mr. Leicester Gataker. I was led to investigate 
certain interesting phenomena, which were alleged to have been 
observed by a Mrs. Manners a water-finder, the results obtained 
by her were corroborated by the Rev. W. G. H. MacKnight, 
rector of Silk Willoughby in Lincolnshire, these were reported 
in an essay by Mr. E. Vaughan Jenkins, living at Oxford, 
_ which was published by Messrs. Baker and Son, of Clifton and 
London, in a pamphlet entitled “The Divining Rod and its 
Uses” in 1894 by J. F. Young and R. Robertson, water-finders. 
A copy of this pamphlet was presented. to the Field Club by 
Major Menars. 
_I will now read extracts from this pamphlet, the statements in 
it being so remarkable, that I resolved to try similar experiments. 
with Mr. Gataker to ascertain if they would repeat themselves 
_ with me, and show corresponding magnetic or electric results. 
_ The following are the extracts alluded to. 
The Rev. W. G. H. MacKnight sends to the Spectator 
‘newspaper a detailed account of some test experiments made by 
him at Buckminster in the presence of Lord Dysart and other 
unimpeachable witnesses, ‘We placed four glass salt-cellars on 
the ground and a board on the top of them, and asked Mrs. 
Manners, the rods still twisting in her hands, to step on the board, 
_and at once all motion ceased and she herself was unconscious 
that the magnetic current was stopped ; while she stood, still 
insulated, on the board I took hold of her two wrists, and 
Immediately the motion began again. Lord Dysart then tried to 
complete the circuit, but without effect, shewing that it needs 
H Vol. IX., No. 2. 
