The sun., 1884-10-12
psyChiCal Regearch.

Tho formation Of an American Society for
Psychical Research, modelled after tho
London organization having like name, is
one OF the interesting collateral results of
tho recent meeting OF the Association for
the Advancement of Science, In Philadelphia.
Whatever the progress effected by this new
society In its selected sphere OF investiga-
tion, II will certainly not lack for material TO
work on.
Prof. w. j. BARRETT Of tho Royal College
of Science. Dublin, who came to this country
as the representative of the British society,
has put the claims OF the new movement on
the ground that certain obscure phenomena
demand TO be investigated by organized
bodies Of mon OF science instead OF being
left to tho control Of chance or charla.anism.
The English society was formed only year
before last. The President is Prof. Henry
SIDdwICK, who fills tho chair of moral
philosophy at Cambridge and among its 400
members nre Lord RAYLEIGH. Lord TENNY-
Son, Mr.. RusKIS. and Prof BALFouR STEW
ART. Some Instances which Prof. BARRErr
gave from his experience, in describing tho
scope OF such societies. are interesting:
One Of the first cases OF hypnotism which
that Of child at Westmcad THIS retciient when sent
into another iocm could decirher card selected by
and kcp, wildly in the mind. On one
cas!on formed mental picture OF store IN London.
md she described IT to me telling minu'ey the different
objects which 1t contained"
Among the most remarkable phenomena
observed by the London society are those
called taste and pain transfcrcncc. In these
the percipicnt, it is alleged, can, without any
sensible communication, experience tastes
| and pains felt in the brain Of the agent.
I'VE procured few dozen different articles Of great
| taste and little SMELL such mustard. salt, pepper.
nOes md sugar These wrapped in little enNe elopes
and took into the where the perez, lent Was Pre-
vou,iy had saturated the apartment with the "dor
OF fluid onions 50 tina, the percipen' would be unable
to detect in tho air tho slightest trace OF the articcs
When we took pinch OF sugar salt pepper. or what
ever happened to select and put 1t on our tongues
the rorcipout instantly felt the same taste dill
and announced it, Tine taste OF cayenne pepper was SO
lasting to her sense that it long time before
ceased to burn her tongue although she had not touch
| cd It,"
The London society divides its work into
| half dozen departments, each under its
| own committee. Thoy include hypnotism
mesmeric trance and clairvoyance; spirit
ualism; alleged apparitions; tho examina
tion OF persons to SEQ whether they possess
any power OF perception beyond n highly
exalted sensibility OF the recognized sonsory
organs, and so on. 1t may excite a smile tC
find disturbances in so-callcd haunted house;
gravely put down as among the objects o
this soccty's investigation. But, after all, ii
tho purpose OF such body is to separate H.
lusion and deception from fact, and to invcsti
cato without prejudice, 1t must not begin by
impatiently setting aside any large class o.
phenomena claiming to be supernatural. OIL
the ground that they are the fruit OF gross
ignorance and superstition, but must, in
stead explain or oxposo them by its owl
| original Investigations