Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-11
TIE OCCULT SCIENCES, TURNING TABLES, Sc

Our readers informed of the strange opinions en-
tertaned in this country and in Europe Of the alleged
magnetic phenomena of turning tables and rotary hats
We think they will ud interest in letter addressed
to the ilustrious sayant AMPERE by NJ. CHEvREuIL,
one Of the most distinguished members of the Academy
Of Sciences upon analogous phenomena This letter was
published in the ReUue ds Dear Aonde the year 1888
from which translate it, 1t was in 1912 that several
persons affirmed that pendulum formed of heavy body
and flexible string would oscillate when held by the
hand over certain substances although the arm should
remain stationary, and they urged NJ Chevreail to
make the experiment.:
"The pendulum used (says M Chevreuil) was an iron
ring suspended 70 haxen thread it had been arranged
by person who very anxious that should verify for
myscn the phenomenon which appeared when it was
p,aoeu over wafer block of metal, a living beings
Pnehomenon winch saw appear in his hands. 1t was
not confess without surprise that saw II renroduced
when having taken hold with my right hand of the PEN
string placed it above the mercury reservoir
OF my airpump, an anvil, several animals &c con-
cluded from my experiments that as was informed there
were only certain number of bodies apt to determine
he osciatons OF the pendulum, might be that in in
terposng other bodies between the former and the osc
iating pendulum, the latter would cease
notwithstanding my presumption my establishment
was great when after having taken with my left hand
plate OF glass or cake of resn &c., and having placed
these bodies between the mercury and the pendulum
which oscillaes it, the oscillations diminish in
length and then wholly cease. They recommended when
the intermediate body taken away and again
upon Its re-inerposton This succession of phenomena
was repeated great many times with really remarka-
Die consistency whether the intermediate body was held
| by me or by another person.
" The more extraordinary these effects seemed to me-
the more necessarily felt the Importance of verifying
tney were foreign TO all muscular motion of the arm
had Deen INFORMED they in the positive
ner This induced Inc to lean my right arm which held
the penduum upon wooden support, which at inter
walls gradually advanced from my shoulder to my hand
and brought back from my hand to my shoulder
soon noticed that in the first circumstance the motion of
tne decreased In proportion the support
near the and that it ceased when the fingers
which held the thread themselves supported where
as IN the second case the contrary effect took place
Ihis induced me to think that it very probable
that muscular motion which place unknown to me
determined the phenomenal and the more inclined
TO take this opinion into consideration had souvenir
vague in truth of having been in certain state when nv
eyes followed the oscillations described nv the pendnl
which held in hand.
Il made the experiments spoken of above over again
my arm being entirely free, and convinced myself that
the souvenir just spoken Of not illusion of my
mnd Tor very distinctly that while my eyes followed
the oscillations of the pendulum, there in dis
position or tendency 10 the notion which, involuntary it
seemed to be, was the better satisfied the pendulum
described larger arcs consequently thought that if
repeated the experiments taking care bndfold
eyes, the results would be very different from those
observed IL happened SO exactly While the pendulum
oscllated above the mercury bindfod placed
my eyes, the motion soon diminished, but although the
oscillations were feeble they sensbly diminished
by the nerposton of bodies, which seemed to have
rested them in my first experiments
Lastly, from the moment the pendulum was at re-
pose still held 1T for quarter of an hour over the
mercury without its moving During this interval and
totally unknown to me- the plate of glass and cake of
resin had been inerposed and retired times by
persons in the room.
This is the Interpretation give to these phenomena:
When held the pendulum in my hand muscular mo
ton of my arm, although nsensible to me- moved the
pendulum from its repose and when the oscillations
had commenced they were augmented by the infu
exercised by the sight as to put in that
cuar frame of disposition tendency the motion
Now, must be acknowledged that the muscular notion
even when II Is increased by this disposition is
nevertheless weak enough to stop, win not say under
the empire of the WILL but when has simply the thought
Of trying to see whether this that will stop it.
$50, then there is an intimate connexon between the
execution Of certain motions and the act of the mind
ave to them although this mental act is not the will
which commands the muscular organs In this regard
it seems to that the phenomena have described is
interesting in connexon with psychology and the
history OF sciences they prove how easy it is take
for realities whenever attention to
r wards phenomenon wherein bodies play part es
peciay IN circumstances which have not been sufficient
II ly analysed.
" In truth had contened myself with making the
Q pendulum oselae above certain bodies, and with tn,
experiments where these oscillations arrested when
t glass resin, &c were inerposed between the pendulum
and the body which seemed determine its motion then
certainly would have had reason not to believe in tn
dvinng rod or any other thing Of the sort Now
1t may be easily conceived how honest and educated
are sometimes led to to very chmerca ideas
plain phenomena which in reality removed from
Sd the physical world we know.
Consequently, conceive without difficulty that an hon
est man. whose whole attentions fixed upon the motion
rod which he holds in his hands may take from a cause
unknown to him. may receive from any the least crcum
stance the tendency to the motion necessary to supen-
duce the appearance Of the expected phenomenon For
example, that man seeks spring and he has not his
eyes bndfolded the sight of green plat of grass
which he is walking may, unknown himself determine
in him the muscular motion capable of dsarrangng the
rod by the established association between the idea Of
tive vegetation and that of water
The preceding facts and the Interpretation above given
w
may daily observe From this connexion the ANALYSIS
Of them becomes both simple and more precise than
at the time that they form an ensemble of
facts, whose general Interpretation is susceptible Of
great extension But, before going further let dis
tncty remember that my observations present two lead
ing circumstances
:" First. To think that a pendulum held in hand may
move and that ii without our having the con-
seriousness that the muscular organ gives the least i'm
pulsion. THIS is he first fact.
Secondly To this pendulum oscilae and its oscil
atons become longer from the influence Of the sight up
on the muscular organ and this too, without having
the consciousness Of it. This is the second fact.
1.-The tendency motion, determined in by the sight
OF body In notion is found in several For
ample
al When the attention is wholly fixed upon bird fly
ing stone thrown running water the body Of the spec
tator is directed more less towards the line of motion
=. When billiard player follows with his eye the
ball he has Just put in motion he places his body in
the position he would the ball follow, as IL il still
possible for him to direct il towards the mark whittier he
sought to direct ii.
"When walk upon slippery place, everybody
knows with what promptness throw ourselves the
side opposite to that whittier body is carried in