The sun., 1878-07-21

sho had taken n cathartic. and who, by sheer
dint Of faith. did actually secure cathartio re-
suits in diamcirical opposition to tho normal
action of the preparation.
Evidence is not wanting that tho will acts di-
roctlv on the intcrcranial visual apparatus
From the nature Of tho case the testimony can
not bc u an experimental or pathological char
actor, yet il posscsscs considerable weight. II
Is noteworthy that many children possess the
power when they have closed their eyes in tho
dark Of surrounding themselves by n simple
act of voiition with panorama OF odd sights.
II is n matter Of surprise that this form Of phnn
tom vision has not excited more interest among
Psychologists. liz appearance In childhood.
when the nerve centres are delicate and mobile:
its disappearance in mature years. when the
nerve Tissues are DEVELOPED and less impressi-
bc. and its rcappcaranco at the very close OF lie.
when, as dissolution APPROACHES. the nerve con
tres are exceptionally DISTURBED. often produc-
ing visions of the dylng-these phenomena are
all curious. significant, and worthy OF study.
Sometimes. but less frequently. adults have
demon stratcd the power Of volition To produce
objective pseudopia. For example. Goethe could
at will produce for his own attentive scrutiny
subjective copies of pictures and works Of art
which he had seen. Nicolai Of Berlin stronu-
ously ondcavored to induce the same phenome-
ma by an act Of voliton but although he could
secure what he called the cerebral transcript OF
picture. he could not like Goethe project 1t
into space before him. Nevertheless the tcsti
mony of go accurate an obecrver thnt no could.
10y voluntary cfort. secure or modify TO some
extent his visual apparatus Is unqucstionably
important. Another involuntary experience OF
Nicolai quoted from his own report. is ono OF
peculiar interest because both the eyo and ear
We're simultaneously deceived 1t appears that
his emotional nature had been stirred to its
depths not long before he was visited
by tho visions which ho describes. As
result of such violent perturbation
his scnsoria and ideational nerve centres
were thrown into dcranged, exctable and
sensitive condition. Under these circum-
stances W. are told. ho saw human forms
projected into space before him. and heard
thom speak. But although the senses thus
conspircd to deudc him. the owner was
not duped. but. recognizing the error OF his
eyes and ears. carefully observed and recorded
the phenomena. Without doubt Nicolai saw
and heard what he described. but tho percep-
tions were all purely subjective. In like man
der DR.. Clarke would explain. on physiological
grounds. the voice which Nicolais friend
Mcndelssohn-heard. after the experience Of
intense emotion. the auditory cells here assum-
ing automatically the shape corresponding TO
the sound. Another case observed by the au-
thor in his own practice deserves special no.
tce, because 1t illustrates two species OF pseudo
Iia-hoth the complex automatic and tho
volitona forms. young man. it seems. was
visited by visions. which he could subsequently
call M at will. In connection with these clini-
cal observations it is well to bear in mind that
some Of the coolest and acutost minds have
been boset and puzzled by apparitons. Even
81 l1 a AT aif RAJ
from any conclusions to which an inexorahle
logic bore him, has recorded an experience Of
the kind. 1t had happened. he rolates. that
waking NJ one morning he found the images
of which his dreams had been composed osten-
-ibly lodged before his eyes. ~ vivid as though
they had been realities. Conspicuous among
these was tho semblance Of n certain black
and filthy Ethiopian whom he had never before
seem This image in great part disappeared
when the philosopher directed his eyes with at
tention 10 a book or other object. but returned
with the former dstnctness whenever he al
lowed his glance to fall careessy in any quar-
ter. 1t is plain that Spnoza. without precisely
comprchending the physiology Of the phenom-
enon deemed the Ethiopian n creation Of his
brain. not possessing any objective existence.
A study Of the Illusions of childhood. Of adult
lie. and of disease. naturally lead DR.. Clarke to
dyng-tho pscudopa Of the deathbcd. That at
the moment when the cord Is loosed which has
bound beloved ones to earth there may come a
glimpse Of heaven. which for a space should
clOthe the features with brightness. is the con
viction Of some, the faith Of many, and the hope
Of most. And here we may romind the reader
that the author OF this treatise declares himself
q firm believer in Il providcntial government Of
the world and in tho immortality Of tho soul.
lei this inquiry Is undertaken lin the scientific
spirit and DR.. Clarke thinks il better 10 know
what these visions 80 are. and how they are
produced. than to leave them shrouded in mys-
terry and build faith upon counterfeit The
common notion that pain and dying are in
scparabe il SO erroneous, he assures us, that
the precise contrary is much nearer the truth.
Within his observation they have rarely gone
together. The rule is that not pain but uncon-
sciousness attends the final act and thus clini-
cal experience confirms the suggestion Of Sir
Thomas Browne. that " TO the subject Of it
death is no more painful than birth" Painless
ly we como; painlessly we go; and nature has
provided an anTsthetic for tho body when the
spirit leaves tor when the apparatus runs down.
The author points out that previous 10 the mo-
ment Of dissolution. and In preparation for it,
respiration becomes feeble. generally slow and
short, effected commonly by long inspira-
tions and quick, iitful cNpiralons 80 that the
I blood Is steadily depleted Of oxygen. At the
| same time the heart acts with corresponding
! debility producing slow. weak and irregular
/ pulse. As this process goes on, tho blood Is moi
only driven 10 the brain with lessened force
and in shrunken volume but what flows there
Z s more and more heavily loaded with carboniC
acid gas. Under the pressure OF this potent
anasthetic the nerve centres lose consciousness
and sensibility apparent sleep creeps over the
system. then comes stupor. then the end. The
liyid features, conyulsye twitchngs throat
gurglngs and similar ghastly symptoms which
mark the final moment are only exhibitions d
unconscious automatic action.
The testimony Of the dying so long as they
are able to give any evidence. is that their SUI
forngs do not incrcusc. but diminish rs the enc
IL life draws ncnr Among the cases cited ii
confirmation Of this statement. the following Is
particularly interesting. medical frien,
whom Dr. Clarke attended in his last illness
was tho victim Of painful disease. and aware
OF It's incurable character. When the end ap
preached it was agreed that DR.. Clarke SHOULD
see the patient every hour or two, and relieve
him in case the pain should prove more acut
than heretofore. Signals we're arranged. neg