The daily gazette., 1881-01-12
From the MY. sun.
DR.. BEARD'S TRANCE TESTS,
INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS IN THE
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

1 IN GAN bhAm IN
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
DIR. George M. Beard, the neurolo-
gist, repeated, last evening, before q
large audience in the Academy Of Sci
ences, the experiments with persons in
a state of mesmeric trance, which were
recently described in the Sun, and in~
troduced others of startling nature.
The audience, which filled the main
hall, as well as the gallery, comprised
many ladies and several distinguished
physicians and scientists, among whom
were Prof. ID. S. Martin of Rutgers
College, Prof. ii. G. Bolton of Trini-
ty College, Profs. Newbery and Trow-
bridge of Columbia College, Prof.
Leeds of Stevens Institute, The Rev.
DIR. Martin of The New York UNIVERSE
ty, Profs. Hubbard, Whitfield and
Day, the Hou. S. E. Chittendon. Drs.
Stille, s. Ii. Smith, Taylor, Post, Nit
tendorf, Webster, Gibney AID A. III.
Smith.
DR.. Beard was prepared for the
demonstration with eight trance sub
jects, and a number of charts and dia-
grams hung against the wall, which
were the work of DR.. NJ. j. Roberts,
who assisted DIR. Beard in the experi-
ments.
In opening, DIR. Beard stated at
some length the theories regarding
trance which he has formed from his
experiments. His definition of trance
was that it is a concentration of nerv-
GUS activity in some one direction with
a corresponding suspension of nervous
activity in all other directions. This
principle was illustrated by series of
diagrams showing section Of the
brain, divided for convenience into
three lateral subsections. The first
showed the brain In the normal condi-
tion, when snpposing it TO possess 100
units OF nervous force.
These units were divided among the
three subseetlons, as 80 is ole part, 80
in the second, and 20 IN the third. In
the second diagIam the brain is con-
10 be in state of sieep. Here
there is diminution of the whole
amount Of nervous force, there now be-
ing but "a units, distributed thus 80
ia one portion, Is in The second, and 10
in the third. In tie third diagram, rep
resehtihg the brain In trance, all except |
a small portion of the brain is shown
TO be dark aud without activity, while |
the whole 100 units Of nervous force |
are concentrated in the one spot, that |
representing Lhe one action or condiLlon |
which the operation has enforced upon, |
The trance subject. DIR. Beard described |
briefly The following forms Of trance |
Catalepsy, ecstasy, intellectual trance,
splleplic trance, alcoholic trance, SOM /
nam bulism, emotional trance, self-in- |
iucei trance, spontaneous trace, mes
neric trance, Or so called "hypnotisnl,"
Jr "animal magnetism," neither Of |
which terms, DR.. Beard said, expressed
he condition as we'll as the term
trance" or "mesmeric trance"
In speaking OF the spontaneous trance
DR.. Beard SAID there was no doubt that
,reat actors like Salvini or orators like
3eecher 20 into this sort of trance
While before an audience, and have no
dea OF wha. they are doing or saying.
This, he said, might account for the fact
hat Beecher did not reeorganize al
ines what reporters attributed to him
$ having said. [Laughter.1 Mesmeric
rance was Of permanent value to medi-
al science, because those capable Of
DING into 1t could be handled easily,
nd thus the phenomena might be care
ully studied. After taking issue with
he positions of many OF the European
cholars In regard TO trance. DIR. Beard
uttered into a series of very interesting,
nd in some cases quite new, expert
lenLs. A small place on one side OF .
he face OF subjecl was an@sthized so
hat, although needle was pushed into
he flesh until II reached the cheek bone
here was no evidence of pain on the
art OF the trance subject. DR.. Post
anne out OF the audience, and satisfied !
imself Of the genuineness OF this test.
mother subject was rendered stone
eaf. d pistol was discharged within J
n inch Of lIir ear, aud every one in the /
ldience started, but the trance subject !
,mained hrm as a statue. Another
trson tasted cheyenne pepper and call b
! 1t sugar while in the trance. A slight
'-built, pale young man next submitted
lmself 10 the test OF actual cAutery.
nth red-hot iron his hand was burn
until the flesh smoked, and gave to
Ie lecture room the od1r of a black =
NTH shop, but The subject did not
ince.
On regainIng consciousness he suffer
acute pain for long time, but bore
bravely, having given his consent to
Q experiment six trance subjects
ere sell declaiming in unison, and made =
deafeniDg din. DR.. Beard then, by lSS
lching the back of the neck of each | 9
rson, gave his audience the amusing q
hibition OF six living automata. They -
'ew their hands about, their lips NOV l.,
their eyes flashed, but no sound
ne forth. A slight FLIP on the cheek "
any case brought back the power of
ech Instantly. Both aphasia, the loss RI
thinking power, and aphonia, loss of ol
yer to speak aloud, we're produced, WI
one condition in one subject, the ~ ~
er in second subject, at the will of wi
operator. A boy was set while In uT
nee 10 write his name. When he -.
} in the middle of his first name DR..
lrd touched his neck. His pen halt
For fully FIVE minutes
sat looking inlently at the Unfinished r,
1e with rigid fingers, Then with a =
,h on the cheek he went on to COM
G his name. After experiments
wing thai trance subjects could be T
Verted temporarily into "Maine arl
peIs," SO that they would spring up da,
lily at a smart stroke OF the hand.- Hre Syo
Beard said that there was one of bia iici