Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-15
Illusions,

EssIy Jay may Oe SAID 10 Dfing 10 the healthy
mind practical Instances OF tue occurrence Of
subjective sensations. such as In more typical
oeyei0pment constitute the illusions, OF the
CURIOUS TO select an example within the prac-
the experiment, suppos, we allow the head 10
depend for some time as in the stopping pos
lure we hear noises in the ears, So lts CT 'sng-
ing or ringing" as we popularity term them:
nasheS or light before the eyeS-al3o behe,i "a
cases OF direct irria alton OF the organ OF sigat-
anu we may also experience a variety OF other
sensations which are Truly Subjective In that
they are produced by no outward moi es or ST mt
Out o. an internal cause, most prob IDLY Temp
Ialy congestion OF the nerve center5. That
mere should exist perfectly natural tendency
10 speak or the phenomena Just mentioned as
Dearu' and "Seen." respectively, Is mat
Ter exciting DO comment We continually refer
TO the outward and usual sources OF sensations,
me Impressions which may actually Oe produced
from Within. The effect OF this perfectly natural
method Of discerning the origin OF Sensations
becomes ludicrous In practice whe1, through
mas no control, a Change OF locality Details the
nei yes In question. A subjective sensation, for
ins' ance refers pain at the extremity OF stump
TO the portion or the limb which has been re-
moved. a patient who possesses no leg may
thus 1eel pain Ia his toes. More curious still
are the results OF the Taliacotian operation for
the restoration Of the nose. In such pro-
forehead and folded down so as to form the
new olfactory organ. SO long as the dap re-
mains connected with the forehead, so long
head when the new nose Is touched. That
things are not what they seem" may thus be
Illustrated phys1oloStcal!y IN very perfect
!ashlon. subjective sensation here refers tue
impression to the original seat OF the skin
namely, the Observation-Disclosures in time the
nose-hap adjusts It's sensioillty 20 It's new posi-
ticn. SO, also, in the well-knOwn experiment Of
crossing the fore and middle fingers and feeling
the tip OF the nose with the crossed dtgtts the
organ OF smell appears double. Here the sur
faces OF touch being altered and transpo 'ed, the
oouole sensation ofil!usion arises from the mind
referring the impression received by each finger
70 the natural and separata position OF the Dig
us. Stlll more remarkable are certain suciec-
1--WE sensations produced By a potent belief In
the existence Of the conditions which give rise
The late Prot: Bennett, Of Edinburgh, relates
q c9e IN which prOcurator fiscal, or public
Prosecutor, In Scotland attended the eXhuna-
Clon or a body 10 case Of supposed murder,
ana mad TO withdraw from the scene on ac-
count, as he alleged, OF the overpowerlng odor
believed, by the coffin. On. the latter being
examined, 1t was found to be- empty! Another
case illustrates, in an equally interesting
fashion, the ideational and internal origin OF
sensations through an intense belief ia the
real nature OF the external conditions which
ordinarily produce them. An Edinburgh
butcher, engaged In placing a heavy Joint OF
meat on hook situated above his hea J. slipped
SO that the hook appeared to penetrate his arm,
and to suspend him thereby. Carried Into a
high pu'seless, and suffering as he said, acute
agony, which was intensified on the arm being
moved. When, however, the arm was exam.
med, not trace OF injury was to be observed.
his coat; yet bis subjective sensations referring
lne lLJury TO his arm were SO real that the
pallor and shock were as typically represented
rs Ii ne nad really been transt1xed.-BNgrauia