163 



5) Hearing the aural manifestation of the surrounding 

 world enables man to select the safest condi- 

 tions, to avoid danger. The approach of an enemy, the 

 proximity of some natural plague, the nearness of kindred 

 creatures, these and other such things are often revealed 

 to us through the ear. 



6) The sense of touch is given by nature to enable 

 man to distinguish by outward contact the nature of ob- 

 jects around him and of their action on the human body. 

 By experience he learns the value or danger of these 

 objects and he develops a conscious understanding of 

 what things to seek and surround himself with and what 

 things to defend himself from." 



7) Finally catalepsy or swoon, a special form of vital 

 function when all sensations die away. This may be a 

 natural temporary pause as in sleep, when the tired or- 

 ganism demands renewal and the 'ravelled sleeve' needs 

 'knitting up'; or it may be the outcome of disease when 

 the suffering nerves overcome the muscular power and, 

 acting on the brain, produce such a pressure there that 

 the organs of the body lose their blood supply; or in the 

 last case, it may be death, the final cessation of all life 

 and action. 



In every one of these seven senses man lies under 

 the immediate control of nature on the earth. 



But further it seems to me that not only our senses 

 are seven but the atmosphere we breathe consists not of 

 four elements but of seven. Every sense [ assume corres- 

 ponds to some atmospherical equivalent, one gas prevail- 

 ing over others. I trace this connection as follows: 



a) Consciousness corresponds to a moving force which 

 produces harmony between the gases and the salts form- 

 ing the human body. 



b) Smell corresponds to the power of oxygen. 



c) Taste corresponds to the action of carbon. 



d) Sight corresponds to a transparent medium which, 

 like the element of consciousness, remains till now un- 

 known. 



11* 



