MODERN SCIENCE,— No. 1. 

 The Magnetoscope, 



This important invention, the discovery 

 of which is vested in Mr. Eutter, of Black 

 Rock, Brighton, alone — has recently been 

 introduced to the London public by means 

 of a series of Popular Lectures. 



We have attended one of these lec- 

 tures, delivered by Dr. T. Lecier, a gentle- 

 man of considerable scientific acquirements. 

 The subject excited great attention from a 

 large auditory, many of whom, although 

 giving evidence of their having come as 

 sceptics, left the room (Hungerford Hall) 

 fully satisfied as regards the "Discovery/' 

 that there was something in it. So thought 

 WE,simply because what was asserted by 

 the lecturer, as haying been discovered by 

 Mr Eutter, was fully proven to the eye. 



As we shall have occasion, repeatedly, 

 whilst discoursing on matters of popular 

 science (for we wish to make all our essays 

 " popular," and intelligible to the masses), 

 to speak of this wonderful instrument as 

 connected with certain curious, astounding, 

 and interesting phenomena, — Ave will now 

 only give a succinct account of its nature 

 and singular properties. The elemental 

 particulars are gleaned from a lecture on 

 the instrument, delivered by Dr. Madden 

 of Brighton. The lecture given by Dr. T. 

 Leger (before referred to) will form occa- 

 sion for further comment hereafter. We 

 may just mention, that the last-named gen- 

 tleman has constructed an instrument, which 

 he considers an improvement upon that of 

 Mr. Eutter, inasmuch as it confirms, he says, 

 by undeniable demonstration, the truth of 

 the discovery. But now for 



A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAGNETOSCQPE. 

 " From a stand fixed firmly to the table, there 

 rises perpendicularly a rod of wood, say eighteen 

 or twenty inches high, having a brass knob on 

 the top. From the knob projects at right angles 

 with the upright a brass arm, say nine inches 

 long, tapering to a fine end. A fine silken 

 filament is attached to one end of a small spindle- 

 shaped piece of sealing-wax like a fisherman's 

 float — but the shape is not material. This is 

 hung from the extremity of the brass arm ; and 

 the line being merely a raw thread taken from 

 the cocoon, there is no twist or tendency to turn 

 in it, but the plumbob hangs free to vibrate or 

 circulate, or adopt any motion in obedience to 

 the infinitesimal influences which are to act upon it. 

 ?i i " Immediately underneath the centre of the 

 bob is a small circular wooden plate, say four 

 inches in diameter, so made as to be fixed in a 

 horizontal position, higher or lower — that is, 

 nearer to or farther from the lower point of the 

 bob. On this is placed a glass dish, rather less 

 than the tablet it rests on, and about as deep as 

 the bob is long, The tablet is then moved up- 

 wards, until the lower end of the bob almost 

 touches the centre of the glass dish. The bob, 



thus hanging down into the dish, is protected 

 from the accidental movements of the surround- 

 ing air. If it be thought desirable, however, the 

 whole line and bob can be surrounded with a 

 glass shade, such as are placed over artificial 

 flowers or small statuary, having a hole in the 

 top for the string to pass through. [This is 

 preferable.] 



" The apparatus being thus prepared, and the 

 sealing-wax bob hanging dead from the brass 

 arm, and all parts at rest, the operator placed 

 the finger and thumb of his right hand upon the 

 brass knob, and almost without any perceptible 

 interval the bob was evidently moved; in a few 

 seconds it was decidedly making an effort to 

 swing round, and in less than a minute was steadily 

 careering in a circle parallel to the sides of the glass 

 dish, the lower end of the bob tracing a circle of 

 perhaps two inches in diameter, or the size of a 

 crown-piece, from left to right, as the hands of a 

 watch move. The lecturer said he would call 

 this the normal motion, being that which was 

 invariably produced, at least after some practice; 

 but it was a curious fact, and as yet unaccount- 

 able, that many of the movements were different 

 with different individuals — that they were often 

 even different with a given individual on first 

 experimenting and after considerable practice; 

 but that there came a time when an operator 

 could depend on the movement peculiar to him- 

 self occurring without exception. This left-to- 

 right movement invariably occurred, however 

 often the experiment was made, the bob invari- 

 ably beginning to swing with the sun a few se- 

 conds after the application of the finger and 

 thumb to the knob. He stated, too, that many 

 experiments which at first were difficult or gave 

 dubious results, became sure and unvarying as the 

 operator increased in delicacy by practice. 



" The mode of stopping the movement is by 

 taking a piece of bone in the left hand, when the 

 motion gradually slackens and ceases. With 

 Mr. Rutter, the bob will stop almost immediately, 

 but with Dr. Madden the time occupied is tedi- 

 ously long, and therefore more forcible means 

 were on the present occasion employed when it 

 was wished to commence a new experiment. 

 [This deserves attention.] The lecturer, how- 

 ever, shewed an equally satisfactory experiment. 

 Placing the finger and thumb of the right hand 

 to the knob, and holding a piece of bone in the 

 left, no movement Avhatever could be produced ; 

 on dropping the bone from his palm, the bob was 

 instantly stirred, and, in a few seconds, once more 

 traced out the normal circle. [Curious this.] 



When only the finger was applied to the knob, 

 the bob set up, not a circular but a to-and-fro 

 movement, like a clock pendulum. On stopping 

 it, and applying the thumb only, a similar pen- 

 dulation was produced, but in a direction directly 

 across and perpendicular to the former. The di- 

 rection of the swing- for finger and thumb re- 

 spectively, was always the same, however often 

 the experiment might be tried — : that is, calling 

 the direction for the finger N. and S., that for 

 the thumb was E. and W. ; and if while the fin- 

 ger was producing the N. and S. swing, the 

 thumb was substituted, the bob was instantly 

 affected — staggered, so to speak — and shuffled 

 itself into the E. and W. direction. 



