Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-02-15
From the Nashville Americana
THE (WHICH HAZEL -
A Scientist Defends what
Science DCIides as an IIIu-
sion,

SCIENCE DCIluCS as an EttU-
sion.
At meeting o: the Civil Engineers
| Club of the Northwest. in Chicago,
last week, Mr.. Charles Latimar read a
paper on the subject of water Witch
ing," or the discovery of water bv
means of the divining rod. He com
menced by giving brief sketch of the
history at the dIViulng rod H. used by
the anclcnts, and quoted from the
OId Testament to show that its Use
was fully understood, and that it was
| frequently applied by the children of
Israel. The power of using the rud
was looked upon by the people as
something bordering on the supernat-
ural, aud the persons who claimed
this power were regarded as sOrcer-
crs or witches.
I'm later days the scientific world
had rejected the claims of the divinres.
and had Classed them with the myths
and hohgoblins of the dark ayes.
II was almost Impossible to make
men listen To amy thing that could lie
said in favor of the workings of the
d:vining rod, because no scientific
cause could he assigned for its mvsteri-
Gus action. The attention of Mr.. Lat
ilnar was first called 20 the subject
about thirty years age, 10y a passage ia
"h oiu DOOR, |" the eject that such Il
power "ld certainly exist, however
"iHI'uiI IL WAS 10 give II satisfactory
explanation "t IL. MI Lntimar then
CohlnrN'rd making experiments, and
iouhu lhNt t"lE ~ ms own hands
nGchh't true OWNING rot, and that
ne c"uId intricate the places where wa
iPI WAS 10 oe lnuhn.
III i""NlnG i"T cau2e he naturally
'h"uEht oI clec'FlcliN, mat wouGc~!u!
agent, oI winch yet 80 lltjIe u known,
ana 20 which everything mysterious
Is Row referred. Ills Numerous eX-
pvrlmrhis LED lilm To ad0It this eX
pIanation, and to crk out a theory to
account Tor the action Of the rod, He
i"und mat witch hazel was not ah-o.
iulelS necessary, but that almost amy
kihd OF "A tWlg and even an old barrel
noon, rs well as u piece Of wire or
"haIebOue, would answer the same
purpose.
DllIGrent individuals are differently
charged with electricity, as is 81 own
10y simple experiment. Some pco-
pie 10y simply walking quickly across
IA carpet become SO highly charged.
that they can easily light gas let
With n spark from the finger, while
others seem to he deficient in this re-
spect and considerable amount Of
friction is required before AN effect is
produced. 1t is ON this ground that
the Tact that the diNining-rUd will not
Work IN the hands OF every one Is ac-
counted Tor.
MI Lallm"r gave long list of in
stances lli Whlcil the diylhing-rnd had
ue'h uSeu ny nun with marked sue
cess uhuer the most varied and try
ing c!I Gu cunisthnces, leaving no possible
uouul OF the existence OF the power
hiS tAPerlheAtS han been so success
iui lhat ne c"ul" row lndIchle not on
~ lhe spot at whlGh the water was
10 ne Ioullu out tne ulslahce below the
surface. re had observed that the
t"lE OF I"u o'san 10 lurh down when
ne , "l'eIa'oI Ie"cltl point where
lhe at an ulGle o, 10 degrees rom the
water "oulH sti'Ne the surface ana
consequently me Instance from TINS
point 10 me point at which the rod
tuTheu ulIeclIE Gown would give the
Instance ol the water below the sur
l"TG.
nc gave hummer OF cases IN which
;uo C"IIe'th'ss OF thls theory had
tee" pT"StlcaiIy demonstrated, both
10y hlE'se'I Huu others
lie hau "'S1 '"un,' 'ilHl 'he ulNlalhg-
rod would IN 'i'cate th9 I"call'y OF IRON
or other metals WIN l'.e same certain
ty as III lhe case o. "a,y., an" nara
tea nnmuer OF eEb''ItTi,e'ts WhITn
ne hau mace 20 prove l''S '".t' ne
had AIS" iound lhat wheh the operator
was insulated from the groHhu el'i'eI
10y iun"'r eh",s or ny glass ne '",
W"uId not ""ik' prov u" l" ms mih'
Ihat tue movement "I ile rod was que