1878. i 
A New Theory of Trance. 
81 
energetic, and witty, and vivacious ; in her normal life she 
was slow, indolent, and querulous. 
Fifthly, — That the hypothesis explains the difference be- 
tween the deeper stages of trance, and death, with which 
trance is sometimes confounded. 
With this hypothesis of the pathology of trance before 
my mind, I have, continues Dr. Beard, been accustomed to 
illustrate the difference between ordinary sleep trance and 
death, by pointing to a chandelier of gas-burners. When 
all the burners of the chandelier are fully lighted, that is 
the normal waking state ; when all the burners are turned 
down low, but not turned out entirely, as usually is the case 
in public halls before the opening of entertainments, that is 
ordinary sleep ; if I turn out entirely all the burners except 
one, and that one, as often happens, flames all the more 
brightly from increased pressure, that is trance ; if all the 
burners are turned out entirely and permanently, that is 
death. The only hold on life which the deeply entranced 
person has is through the activity of a limited region of the 
brain, through which feeble movements of the heart are 
sustained, the body being in other respedts motionless. 
The popular belief that deeply entranced persons are liable 
to be buried alive is corredt, but fortunately mistakes of this 
kind occur but rarely. 
Sixthly, — That this hypothesis explains the exaltation of 
some of the physical and mental faculties in trance, and 
depression of others. 
The exaltation of the physical and psychical faculties in 
trance cannot be questioned, but is readily demonstrated, 
and by this hypothesis receives an explanation that is both 
lucid and complete. 
Representing, for the sake of comparison, the quantity of 
cerebral force in all parts of the brain by one hundred — if 
the adtivity of three-fourths of the brain is suspended, then 
the remaining one-fourth may be fourfold more adtive than 
when in the normal state. That there should be such a 
concentration of cerebral force in a limited range of faculties 
is in harmony with every day observed fadts. Thus the in- 
telledt increases in vigour in any diredtion under exercise 
up to a certain point, and through over exercise becomes 
fatigued. In the brain are the centres of thought, of mus- 
cular motion, and of general and special sense. It would 
follow, therefore, that some one or several of the senses, or 
some one or several of the mental faculties, or some one or 
several groups of muscles, might be exalted in adtivity, 
with entire suspension of the adtivity of other senses, 
VOL. VIII. (N.S.) G 
