36 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Feb., 1905. 



WsLter Finding with the 

 "Divining Rod." 



As a result of I'rol. Wertheimer's announcement that 

 he was about to undertake some careful investigations 

 in the subject of water-finding by so-called " dowsers," 

 quite a number of letters and articles have appeared in 

 the Times, showing how widespread is the interest 

 in this matter. These letters, too, when read as a 

 series, give a very good idea of how the question 

 stands. There are undoubtedly many people, and 

 many of scientific experience, who seem to be firmly 

 convinced that there is "something in it." Many of 

 these are themselves "dowsers," though unable to 

 assign any cause to the manifestations. Then, on the 

 other hand, there are those disposed to ridicule the 

 whole affair as an absurd superstition. But probably 

 the majority of thinking people are of a medium opinion 

 and are only anxious for evidence to convince them 

 one way or the other. 



The case for the unbelievers is soon summarized. 

 There is almost as much evidence, as far as can be 

 ascertained, of failures to find the predicted spring, 

 as of successes. If one points haphazard to any 

 spot on the ground, and a well be sunk at that place, 

 there is a very good chance of water being met with. 

 This probability, combined with a due consideration of 

 the geological and topographical features, will be suffi- 

 cient to enable a professional water-finder to make a 

 good reputation. If he has the luck to hit off the 

 right spot his fame will soon be spread. If he fails, the 

 affair is soon forgotten. 



But now let us assume that the mar\el!ous mani- 

 festations have been fully and truthfully recorded. If 

 certain persons, and only a limited proportion of man- 

 kind, possess the remarkable gift of being able to hold 

 a twig in their hands in such a way that it shall be 

 caused to violently rotate when held above a sub- 

 terranean spring of water, then we are undoubtedly in 

 the presence of an extraordinary force, the nature of 

 which is entirely unknown to us. 



In searching for a solution of the mystery there are 

 two distinct propositions to be considered, since typical 

 "divining" is only supposed to be possible when two 

 factors are suitably combined. These are, a person 

 endowed with the mysterious power, and a forked stick 

 of certain dimensions and even a particular kind of 

 wood. Sometimes, however, it is said that a wire or 

 steel spring will do as well; while occasionally a 

 " dowser " will declare that he can even tell of the pre- 

 sence of water without anything more than his open 

 hand. 



It is most unaccountable to suppose that a hazel twig 

 of a particular shape and size should be affected while 

 one of another sort of wood or slightly different form 

 should not be affected. And the fact seems so con- 

 trary to nature and so little supported by scientific 

 evidence, that we may, perhaps, dismiss this factor 

 from investigation. 



Then, again, there has to be considered the method 

 in which the rod is held in the hands. It is usual to 

 hold it in one particular way, and herein, it seems to 

 us, is .some slight clue. It will be found that if a forked 

 stick of the usual dimensions be held in the orthodox 

 manner, that is, with the tips of the forks enclosed in 

 the palms of the upturned hands, a very slight move- 

 ment of the hands in a particular wav causes the base of 

 the fork to revolve right round, and thus an almost 



unconscious pressure of the hands will often have an 

 extraordinary effect. This can easily be appreciated 

 by anyone even while sitting in one place and nowhere 

 near any water, holding such a stick and trying to keep 

 it pointing downwards, say for 10 minutes, on end. 

 It mav be, then, that a very slight convulsion of the 

 nerves causes the stick to move. In other words, it 

 seems probable that the divining rod is but an index 

 of slight nervous sensations. 



Then as regards the power of watii -finding being 

 confined to certain persons. This, unless it be that 

 some people's nerves are more " highly strung " and 

 more susceptible to be affected than others, seems quite 

 contrary to all we know of the human frame. It is 

 much more likely that only a few persons happen to 

 have been successful, and are thenceforward supposed 

 to possess the extraordinary faculties. Undoubtedly 

 many people are exceptionally sensitive, for instance, to 

 atmospheric variations. Old wounds and corns fre- 

 quently indicate some change in the conditions quite 

 beyond recognition by our other senses, and this is a 

 subject that does not appear to ha\e been at all 

 thoroughly investigated. 



We now seem to be arriving at a more rational 

 problem. The next question to be considered is as to 

 how the presence of a subterranean spring of water can 

 be detected by the nerves. It is a matter of everyday 

 occurrence to see, on still evenings, light mists hovering 

 over the grass in particular places, and it seems not at 

 all unlikely that such mists will usually be found 

 suspended above the position of some underground 

 spring. Is it, then, not probable that this patch of 

 humidity can be ascertained by instruments even when 

 the state of the atmosphere is not favourable to the 

 formation of a visible mist? ,\nd if the air in this spot 

 is different as regards humidity, temperature, or other 

 property to that surrounding it, is it not possible that 

 human nerves may be so affected that some \ery slight 

 difference is felt? And if this is the case it is not diffi- 

 cult to suppose that someone holding a twig in a con- 

 strained position might find that in passing into such an 

 atmosphere there was some slight relaxation or contrac- 

 tion of the muscles, and this would undoubtedly cause 

 the twig to revolve. One of the correspondents also 

 mentions how gnats are seen to congregate over par- 

 ticular spots. Whether this is due to dampness of air or 

 other cause has, we believe, not been well ascertained. 



.Sir William I'reece, in the Ttnics of the i6th, brings 

 forward another theory. He suggests that the running 

 water may set up slight vibrations of the ground, 

 which, he thinks, may act upon " the sensitive ventral 

 diaphragm of certain exceptionally delicately-framed 

 persons." 



But then we also read statements that the same 

 manifestations occur when, instead of water, a small 

 quantity of gold or other precious metal is present. 

 In this case we either feel that a very strong addition is 

 made to the case in favour of the whole matter being a 

 fraud or a delusion, or else that the mystery is one 

 altogether too profound for us to attempt to apply the 

 known laws of nature. One correspondent, indeed, 

 tells of "a respectable farmer in this neighbourhood 

 who could tell under which of several hats a sovereign 

 had been placed." We know of many people who can 

 do this, but without the aid of the di\ ining rod. There 

 is, however, much evidence as to the finding of lodes 

 of metal ore. .Another correspondent declares that he 

 himself can locate lodes of copper or tin ore, and has 

 done .so with great success. If metalliferous ores can 

 affect the hazel twig, the suggested theories of 



