Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-03
UNDERTAKING..
An Explanation by q Famous New
York Physician.
w.

New York Tribune.
Many curious experiments have been
made in regard to the influence of the mind
over the body, and the question whether the
mind Of one person can interpret the
thoughts Of another, under certain circum-
stances, has been much discussed, recently.
by physicians in this city. j. r. Brown,
who calls himself mind-reader. and who
claims to be able TO determine the train Of
thought in another, when brought espe-
cially in contact, performed some expert
ments in this city, and his methods were
investigated by many distinguished physi-
clans and scientists. Mr.. Brown afterward
went to New Haven, and exhibited his
powers there before large audience. The
committee, who there investigated Mr..
Browns methods, reported that t0ey ''were
not ready to assert that the claim of mind
reading had been clearly maintained"
DR.. VIM. A. Hammond and several other
scientists attended several of Mr.. Browns
seances, as he called them, while he was in
this city. Mr.. Brown said that he could
not operate through DR.. Hammond, but
could not give any reason for such a state
ment. With other gentlemen Mr.. Brown
performed various experiments. One Of
the gentlemen hid his door key under a
mat in the hall. Mr.. Brown, blindfOlded,
took one of the gentleman's hands in his,
and touched the other, which was held
against his forehead. Mr.. Brown then
charged the gentleman to think Of nothing
but the place where the object was hidden.
Mr.. Brown then led the gentleman about
the room and out into the hall. When
they reached the mat Mr.. Brown stopped
and said: "Here it is" Mr.. Brown had
also string Of large letters of the alpha
bet, hung across the room, and upon this
he spelled out a word thought Of by some
gentleman. This was often done correctly,
though Mr.. Brown was securely blindfolded
all the time.
DIR. Hammond explains the process by
the theory that the person operated upon,
thinking intensely upon the subject, gives
some sign, involuntary, perhaps, when the
place is reached, or the object attained that
is being sought. Mr.. Brown, by long prac-
tice, probably perceiyes an indication that
another might not notice. DR.. Hammond
said that, after a little practice, he had
been able to perform some of Mr.. Browns
experiments with complete success In one
experiment, DR.. Hammond wrote down a
list Of names, and told person TO think of
one of them. Then placed his fingers upon
the persons wrist and said, Snow, will
tell you the name Of the person you are
thinking of. Read over the list, and when
you reach the right name L shall know
by your pulse which it is" The
person then began and read down the
list, and each time when the Eame
thought Of was reached, by some
means it would be plainly indicated, to the
great astOnishment of the person expert
mented upon. 1.-The whole is explained
to me-" added DR.. Hammond, ''by the in
fuence of the mind over the body. The
majority Of persons thinking steadily upon
one subject do not fail to give evidence
when that subject is reached which that
person has been expecting. The reason
why Mr.. Brown could not operate upon
me was, would not allow myself to give
the slightest indication that would enable
him to detect my thoughts. found this a
very difficult thing 10 do; and, after had
tried it, did not wonder that many were
unable to exercise this control. l think
that when this theory of external indica-
ton Of thought is followed up further, it
will explain the whole of Mr.. Browns
mind"