From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



many times organise and transform itself under our eyes. 

 We have seen a hand emerge from a mass of the sub- 

 stance; we have seen a white mass become a face; we 

 have seen in a few moments the representation of a 

 head give place to that of a hand; we have been able, 

 by the concordant evidence of sight and touch, to 

 perceive the passage of the inorganic amorphous sub- 

 stance into a formal organic representation having for 

 the moment all the attributes of life in flesh and bone, 

 to use a popular expression. We have seen these repre- 

 sentations disappear, melt into the original substance 

 and be re-absorbed into the body of the medium. 

 Therefore, in supernormal physiology there are not 

 diverse substances, bony, muscular, visceral, or nervous, 

 as the substrata of different organic formations; there 

 is simply one substance, unique and basic, as the sub- 

 stratum of organic life. 



It is precisely the same in normal physiology; though 

 this is less apparent. It is nevertheless evident in certain 

 cases. The same phenomenon takes place, as has already 

 been said, in the closed chrysalis of the insect as in the 

 dark cabinet at the stance. Histolysis reduces the 

 greater part of its organs and its different parts into 

 a single substance which will materialise into the organs 

 and different parts of the adult form. The same 

 phenomenon belongs to both physiologies; the parallel 

 is legitimate and complete. 



Only ordinary semblances can be set in opposition to 

 this concept of the unity of organic matter. First the 

 commonplace physiology of daily experience; this 

 superficial semblance proves nothing, and observation 

 shows that it is illusory. Physico-chemical appearances 

 are just as misleading. 



Analyses of the exteriorised substance are, of course, 

 not to be had. The moral impossibility of amputating 

 from the medium's ectoplasm a portion which might 

 grievously injure or kill her, will always prevent this. 



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