The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-25
A HUMAN MAGNET.
A Little Child to Whose Finger Til
Articles Of Metal Adhere.


Late in August last, while taking va.
cation in country town, says DR.. E. 81.
Root in 8 the Medical Reporter, [ heard
of case that was causing considerable dis
cussion and wonderment among the peo-
ple. The child is termed 'shulnan
magnet" by the believers in and practicers
of magnetic rubbings, while the Spirit
uslists declare the child chosen medium.
Ny curiosity became aroused, and ]
asked permission to see this wonderful
prodigy. Permission was granted, and
the child at two different times, ,makngmy
visit some days apart. found pretty,
delicate child, Dolly c., aged 5! years,
an only child; blonde, with a pale and
rather waxy complexion. Her manner
of speech and conduct were characterized
by womanly grace much in advance OF
her tender years. Last February the
phenomena I described was first noticed.
While playing with some spoons the
mother was surprised to see her arraging
them on her finger tips, where they hung
with perfect ease. She will place the
palmer surface of the finger Ups In the
concayity of the spoon-bowl near the end
and left from the holder, one by one,
without otherwise touching them, until a
spoon is suspended from each finger tip.
Ifthe Spoons do not strike too violently
against each other she will carry them
about the room without dropping them.
examined the case In various ways.
FirstI tried four teaspoons with q
magnet one pure silver, one pewter,
one tripleplated and one singleplated OF
washed. The pure silver or pewter
spoons were not Influenced by the mag
net, the heavier plated was only partly
raised, while the washed spoon wss raised
entirely off the table. I carried these
four spoons with me for the child to
exercise her anomalous power of pre-
hension upon. Each one was suspended
with equal ease except the one of pure
silver. This one was Gghtest in weight
snd the bowl was considerably hatter
than any of the other three. But after
arranging it upon her finger few times
she succeeded in making it 'tshck. .
Asking her to put two fingers under
the spoonbowls, 7 found very appre-
ciable resistance in taking it off. The
spoons would hang from the tip of the
nose and chin with as much security
as from the fingers. Thinking the ad-
herence might be due to an excessive
cLamminess of the skin, I tested its sur
face with my own finger tips. Not dis
discovering any, and to make sure was
not deceived by my own sense of touch,
I had the hands, nose and chin carefully
washed with soap and water and dried
with warm towel. I found no perceiv-
able difference il the adhesiveness. The
child could not pick up steel needle,
that is so sensitive to magnet, nor
would a penny ''stick" to the fingers,
chin or nose. I could discover nothing
unusual in the shape Of the finger tips.
The skin was soft and velvety to the
touch and could be sure of clamminess
nowhere except on the pima. The
hands and feet were warm to the touch
when saw her and her mother states
that she is not often troubled with cold
feet or hands.
The little patients mother also told me
that her sisters daughter young Lady l9
years OF age and stalways sick, :" as she ex-
pressed it, manifests the same singular
power.