New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-13
SCIENCE AND LrLU HURST.

young girl named Lulu Hurst has been exhibit
ing for nights in this city what is represented
to be mysterious force, by which she is enabled to
| perform. apparently witloIt muscular action,
fcats of strength beyond the capacity Of trained
athlete. II the published reports of the perform
ancc are accurate; lf that Is to say, this young
girl has by merely placing one open palm against a
stick or "A chair held by a strong man or men.
forced him or them about the stage. despite their
utmost cxcrtons; IT, after producing effects resist
G.cc to which has put the en- ire Muscular aystcm
Of the cxpcrlmentcrs on the slrln she horse
shows no symptom of muscular cyertion; if her
re- piratiou is not hurried. her pulse is not
quickcncd, her frame bear, 80 mark3of fatigue :;
then il is not possible to hold that VIVA. .hc does Is
done by mere muscular effort In such case tie
phenomena demand scientific study, for the rational
presumption Is that. if genuine. thny belong IN the
region Of nerve force region far too lttlc OK
plorcd.
IN 1864 n paper appeared in The IHaaiic NonH'y
entitled "Tho Electric Girl Of IN pcruerc." Tho
narrative was in many respects slugularly Ike that
of Lulu Hurst. Ihc subjcot, AuPcliquc Coffin.
was young French grl IN whom n mysterious
power suddenly developed. Whatever she Touched
was thrown down, chairs aud all Kinds OF wooden
articles being most affected. by putting her open
hand on heavy bench upon which three persons
"
of nix hundred pounds bench and sttcrs were lifted
into the air In this case there for
tunately "A readiness TO investigate on the
part of scientific men, and experiments
were made which showed affinity, if not
I'm identity, between the unknown force and cleo
lricItY. For instance, il was discovered that If
the girl were cut of from con. c. with the earth,
either by placing her feet on "a uOn-cOndnctor or
merely keeping them raised from the ground, the
power ceased, and she could remain seated quietly
1t was also noted that more power emanatcd from
the left hand than the right, and tins appears TO be
also the case with Lulu Hurst that he influence
rcpusve in its nature the object approached being
driven from her violently; that the passage of a
current from her body outward perccptibie
even to the skin of the hand, producing the
ion of cool breeze; and that the girls pulse WIS
very irregular.
Now Dr. Carpenter III his Mental Physiology
has noted the resemblance between discharges of
electricity and discharges of nerye-force. and has
pointed ont many abnormal conditions Of the hui
man system in which the action of nervc-iorce
sumes "A dynamic energy comparable to electrical
phenomena. 1t Is true that in the of Ange-
hquc Coffin it was found that the exhibition of the
abnormal force was uncertain and caprlcOus not
appearing ameuabe to fixed laws like electricity
thus at times the girl would be affected 10y the
ton OF y magnet, ana AT Otner Times not. Al one
time a stick of seang-waX brISkly rubbed, aud
then brought IN contact with her arm, conveyed
smart shock and at another tine no result fol
lowed. But may suppose neryc-lOrce to be COM
plicated by the personality, aud while it resembles
electricity in many respect it does not fol-
low that it is tho same thing. The
French Academy dallied with tins case,
but did not seriously examine IT. Many
inent physicians and men Of science, however, did
examine it, and though unsatisfactory solution was
reached, the reality Of the phenomena WAS testified
10 by the highest authority. Nerve force-the force
which under the influence of imagination is capable
Of changing organic tissue hich under other
conditions las in the Of the COuyulSonnaIresl
can render the body nsonsible TO violence and pam
which operates outside the body. as in llypn0t-
ism Mcsmcrisin, and what is called Personal Mag
to afford the KEY TO not only tins
but a great many other pnZz'lng phenomena. But
patient study of the facts il the only way 10 ron
der them of value TO science. and Therefore Lulu
Hurst, while her power remains unaha -d, should
be investigated by men of science VINO know
enough of psychology and phr-oogy 10 appreciate
at their real weight the manifestations which ut
pre-, ent are being wasted in ia" Qualification of a
bind and thougntlc g curiosity.