The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-26
THE CASE OF MISS FANCHER.
"IF SIZE CAN no Am TINS. THEN ALL
SCIENCE GOES EOR NfUGHT."
SO Says Prof Beard. Aner Careful study
Of the HroolIINn Phennmenn-Dr. CIymrr,s


OF the Brooklyn Phenomena-Dr. CIymer's
Interesting Siatement-The Opinions OF the
snvants on the Question Clearly stated.
The general interest excited by the publi-
cation of the strange case of Miss Fancher Of
Brooklyn in THE SUN Of Sunday and the
opinions expressed by certain New York ply
sicians have led 10 the questioning OF others
who stand high in the medical profession. DR..
Meredith Clymer. inasmuch as The had very
briefly expressed his views in n previous inter
Wow, consented TO talk more about the subject
yesterday. lie repeated what he had before
said. that he considered It case OF hystero-
catalepsy with occasional fits OF ecstacy.
But how about the wonderful suporhuman
manifestations Can you explain the reading
Of an unseen book or paper the announcing of
visitor even before he reaches the door. the
wonderful fancy work that she does while
blind. and all that2"
Does she do all that?" replied the Doctor.
with strong emphasis on the does" You
havo no notion how easy 1t is to deceive peo-
pie or. rather. you do know how easy it is to
deceive. You 20 to see n iuggler. You are on
the lookout for deception, and before your
very eyes he will perform tricks that. until they
are explained. seem simply marvellous. When
explained they are simple enough. Then. ac-
companed with this peculiar disease Is often
an entire perversion OF the moral faculties. l
have known young girls. good pure and
charming. to become. under the influence OF
hysteria. Just the opposite-coarse vulgar. and
obscene. There is no keeping pace with the
cunning of such girls They will deceive all
with whom they come in contact This is no
new thing; history is full OF such cases.
not identical. perhaps. but quite as marvellous.
Take the case Of Louise Latoau Of Belgium.
She was born in 1850. In the autumn OF 1868
tho rumor began 10 spread that she fell every
Friday into state Of ecstacy. and In the ft
blood flowed from certain spots on her head.
chest. and limbs. She also pretended TO live
without eating. and To be able to tell on seeing
q number Of articles which Of them was blessed
by the Pope. The utmost interest was aroused
in her case She was IN object Of veneration TO
her neghbors. and 60 thousands who Hooked
TO see her. kigidly examined by the clergy. she
took most solemn oath that she did not eat.
that She always told the truth. Remember that
she was very pious girl; and yet i was after.
ward proved that she systematically deceived
and hed. Her moral sense was entirely per-
'eTIedd,; a. n,., ,,,., ,A., s,os o..o. am b.
dismissed by saying that they are humbuRs.
There are some things about certain conditions
Of the mind that cannot he readily explained.
III give you an illustration DIR. - tthe Doctor
gave the name Of q physician who is we'll known
in this cityl was onr day taking Turkish bath.
As he lay there le suddenly became conscious
Then he knew that It was glass. but he couldn't
determine what article IL was. Soon he forgot
an about IT, At dinner that day the servant.
after much hesitation. said that she had broken
something that day. she almost feared TO say
what. You've been breaking glass. said he.
Yes, sir-y9ur glass shell that you think so
much Of. Now. what do you call that-a pre-
monition or whaty don't attempt 10 explain
IL. know that it is a fact. however,"
,"Will that account for Miss Fancher being
able to iell when & M iriend is coming long before
Il don't say so. l. do know that sometimes
the senses are wonderfully refined and acute.
Now. my servant tells me that that dog. point
ing 20 diminutive and active Scotch terrier on
the floor, when sleeping up stairs In q closed
room, will hear my step and give notice OF my
coming even before | enter the gate / have
experimental With the dog little He sleeps
in my room. When get up he will jump into
the bed. and get under the clothes. There he
les until put on my coat. and then he jumps
down 10 20 down stairs with me-. ! have
led smother. but he knew the minute ! was
ready TO 90. ! might ppt on my trousers and
vest. 20 IN and out Of the room a dozen times.
even 20 down stairs. He would not stir. But
the moment ] put on my coat. be il ever so
quietly ont he d pop. Now, in the case OF
historical subject as said. the senses. some OF
them. perhaps. are wonderfully acute. Then
there is the instinct. which Is developed In all
taken into account This case In Brooklyn is
very interesting but there has never been a
scientific investisnton ol II. None OF the physi:
clans in this city who have made specially Of
such cases have been asked 10 examine IL. In
fact. there seems TO be an efiort made 10 prevent
Dr. George NJ. Beard was found in his library
correcting the proof sheets Of paper on the
very subject under consideration.
have been interested in the Fancher case
for -omr time. he SAID and have written
much on the subject of nervous disorders and
hystera 30 tnat / guess / can answer your
questions. The subject is not sprung on me.
Some time ago spoke TO DR. Speir about II. and
desired 10 make IN exam nation Of the case. He
answered that she wasn't giving any remarka-
bic manifestations then. and that the family did
not desire al investigation In short. l was
cost Al .000. and would take three months or
more. The girl must be taken away from all
her friends and confined Just as though she
had committed crime. Tint H. so that her
friends could not at In, coluson with her.
Then could be asceriained without the shadow
OF doubt whether she ate or not Whether she
was decelying or not.
As far as this starvation business is con-
cerned, Il j. certain that subjects In trance Or
semi trance, or in simply hysteria can subsist
for long time on very little food or even a little
liquid, THERE'S an interesting case n the West
know that II is very difficult 70 get Thorough
Investigation into such casesY NhyY Simply
on account Of the superstition that clings TO
mon. They hesitate about investigating any
thing that seems 20 be superhuman or super
natural II Is even difficult 10 get scientific
men 10 make these Investigations. for many
scientific men are superstitous. and there Is no
talked OF getting Prot Wyman and Prof.
Agassz TO make an investigation. They could
not hnyo chosen two men more unsuitable.
Prof. Wyman was n splendid man perfect
scientific mind, but he knew nothing about the
subject in hand. therefore he was not ADEQUATE
Agnssiz was more Of genius. but full Of super
stition. That is why the clairvoyants and the
like were always pretending that he endorsed
them. / claim that people are divided into two
classes-eXpsrts and non-eXperts. nom
expert has no right 20 pretend TO authority. /
don't K. ow anything outside Of my line | am
no mathematician. 1t would be foolish for me
to write for the public paper on the bnomial
Now" continued the speaker there are
forth in TINT article Miss
Fancher That she is a trance subject and has
powers of clairvoyance mind reading, and pro-
phetic power As TO the i7st IT Is correct. She
Some think IL something supernatural as they
do everything they don't understand. They
don't understand the involuntary lie Trance
is a condition where the activity Of the nervous
system Ia concentrated in limited. perhaps a
very limited. region Of the brain. the activity
Of the rest Of the brain being for the time sus-
pended. In such "A condition there Is an in
creased or intensified activity In that part OF the
brain where the activity is concentrated. Let
me illustrate: ! light these five burners Of
this chandelier; call that normal condition
II the nervous system. l turn them all
down very little that is sleep, But | turn
them all but one. and. as you see, that one burns
with an intensified brightness. That Is trance
From that increased inactivity OF the brain arise
the Authorizations You hear OF them In the
dying which is simply the activity slowly ceas-
ing In the brain, and concentrating IN n small
part OF IT, aver that the cuse OF Miss Fancher.
fur 4 opurarpeI ia n nm