The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-29
MISS FANCHER'S CASE.

PROFESSOR BUCHANAN INSISTS THAT SHE IS
ABI.E TO DO ALL THAT Is SAID OF HER.
Professor J. r. Buchanan. who holds the chair in
psychology and anthropology in the Eclectic Col
lege Of this city lectured last evening under the
spices Of the Brooklyn Sprituaist Society at Everett
Hall, Fulton street, that city. His subject "Mnd
Soul spirit; the Case OF Miss Fancher and
it's Relations to Science and Christianity" sMss
Fanchcr," said the lecturer. lis young lady
of excellent character of amiable and con-
filling disposition remarkably developed in the ideal
sensitvesand constructive region of the brain. so
that If she had never been injured she would
have been o fluent writer, skilful artist
and clarvoyant. Disease has given her
more delicate spiritual organization and
sensibility. The power by which she recognizes OBJ
jects at distance and penetrates the characters
OF persons are no exception to the laws
of nature, but simply the exhibition Of
natural power which belongs to several thousand
persons in this city. and is no more abnormal
than the musical genius of Ole Bull or
Paganini. which would be equally marvel
lons in a nation that never cultivated music
The history Of her exhibits the unconscious
malpractice of educated ignorance which cannot cope
with such conditions because the knowledge OF the
nervous system which explains such and their
treatment has teen carefully from medical
colleges The pyschic powers which she exhibits have
belonged to the human race in all ages. They
not ut all as rare as eloquence. and there are
number of persons here tonight who possess the
same entowmentS az Miss Fancher, and some who
could surpass her in their exhibition. The fact
OF Miss Fancher being alive when she does pot
consume days provisionl in year ought
to disturb enrage physiologsts when medical
records full of similar There authentic
case of Hindoo fakir buried alive for ten
months ut Lahore. India. in 1887, reported by
Captain Osborne and Sir Charles Wade. Frogs have
been found in solid blocks Of stone as old as the
hills. Ladies in the Psychometric Society in New
York often describe individual and tell his deeds
long after he is dead and think it nothing wonderful
Hundreds of skilfu physicians to-day using the
higher powers Of the soul in making the most
rate diagnosis of disease and in recognizing the
diton patients at distance, whose condition they
describe often with greater accuracy than the ply
stefan OF mere external observation realize when
he visits them.
CDR. Hammond while stunning investigaton-for
he dare not make any such offer to parties who
before the public-displays the malignant animus
generally found in INSCRIPTIONS sceptcism.
He makes cheap parade OF courage
which he has not and Of desire to investigate which
he has not, by challenging poor invalid woman.
lowering between life and death. to meet
him and his friends, when he well knew
that his challenge in its very language
an insult, and would be treated with the silent
contempt 1t deserved To assail this delicate invalid
with such charge imposture because persons OF
the highest integrity and intelligence have stated
what they have observed is one OF those acts OF
social outrage which may be tolerated by what is
absurdly called medical ethics but cannot be toer
ated by Christian ethics which the world approves