i88i.J 
and their “ Cracking 
397 
Some years ago a series of experiments were publicly per- 
formed on human subjects, under the painfully absurd name 
“ Ele&ro-Biology.” A small disk of copper and zinc, sol- 
dered together, was placed in the hand of the person operated 
upon, and he was told to fix his eyes and his attention stead- 
fastly upon the metals. After a time a certain proportion of 
the subjects were found to have lost all power over them- 
selves, and had become mere passive instruments in the 
hands of the operator. A boy in this state was told that he 
was in darkness : on holding a candle to his face the pupils 
of his eyes did not contract in the least. These results were 
ascribed to Electricity, which is invoked to yield an explana- 
tion for almost as many ill-observed phenomena as is InstinCt. 
Soon it was found that a disc of a single metal, a coin, a 
ring, a pebble, a cork, in faCt any small object whatever, 
would answer the same end if persistently gazed at. 
All the above phenomena, and many of a similar nature, 
are referred by Dr. Beard to trance, or a state approaching 
thereto, for which the author proposes the name “ trancoidal ” 
state — an ugly word, for which I should beg to substitute 
“ tranciform.” In all such states, of which there are an 
endless number of stages, the mental equilibrium of the 
animal is disturbed, so as to cause an increase of nervous 
aCIivity in some one direction, often to an exhaustive degree, 
and of course a corresponding suspension of activity in other 
directions. 
Among the means of promoting this disturbance of mental 
equilibrium, Dr. Beard enumerates — 
1. Acting on the emotion of fear by reducing the animal 
to helplessness, by tying or confinement of some 
kind. 
Here, of course, belong the horse-taming feats of 
Rarey, elephant-taming according to W. H. Cross, 
and the experiments with birds above mentioned. 
2. Making strokes or “ passes ” on or over an animal. 
Here we have animal magnetism. 
3. Steadily fixing the eyes on those of some other person 
or animal. 
Under this head come lion-taming, tiger-repelling, 
the evil eye, the fascination exerted by serpents, &c. 
4. Presenting to the animal a bright light. 
Under this head fall the refusal, or, more accu- 
rately speaking, the temporary inability, of horses, 
cats, and even men, to escape from burning stables, 
houses, churches, theatres, and the like. It may be 
here remarked, in passing, that presence of mind is 
