The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-07
A MEDICAL" +" FAKE.
Ridiculous Imposition of Hands at the
Academy Which the Authorities
Should Investigate.

Ridiculous Imposition of Hands at the
Academy Which the Authorities
Should Investigate.
When entered the Academy of Music
this morning l imagined l was late at q
circus. A frayed and frowzy-looking in
diuidual who reminded me of the Pete
Jenkins clown of bygone days was as
suming the role of hurdle race horse
leaping over tilted chairs.
The show was the exhibition of an al
legged magnetic healer, who pretends to
cure cases free in public in order to rope
gullible people into paying him a fee in
private for treating them by imposition
of hands. The alleged healer is a foxey
looking cove with beard like Blaine's
and head like billiard ball.
When he began his mountebank tricks,
a man whose name sounded like Patrick
Wheran or Wayne, of No. ls0 or 1S5 Mer-
Ger street. and who wore gum boots that
gave him the air of Captain Kidd, only
his whiskers We're red stalked up and
took seat in the centre of the stage.
For thirty-f1ve years Che was evidently
born with the disease) he had continually
heard buzzing sound in his right ear,
and had never been able to hear with his
left.
A CURE.
The doctor alternately stroked, pinched
and snapped both ears. Then he placed
his finger in the buzzing ear, pressing ap-
parently hard against the tympanum and
asked:--
What is your nameY
Silence.
"What is your name?"
81 heard you say what's your name. ("
We'll, then answer"
"Patrick EN-
"Where do you liver"
Silence and perplexed, thoughtful men
tai agitation.
''1S0 Mercer street"
"Umph; umph. Now try again"
Whats your name"
Patrick -aynes"
'HThat's good. Where do you liver"
''No 1856 Mercer street."
9 You can hear perfectly now?"
"Yes sir"
tThis gentleman" said the Doctor,
heard with his ear for the past thirty-fiye
years, Nextw
Then stout old lady, in widows
weeds, was helped up the improvised
ladder. She had weak eyes, saw rain
bow colors around gas jets and specks
fioated continually before her optics.
Tears flowed from them and they indi-
Gated every symptom of lop-sided stra-
hismus
After the old lady had had the velvet
touch of the Doctors professional fingers
passed over her forehead after the man
ner of Prof. Henry, the mesmerist, she
declared that the specks had flown and
the figures on the stage carpet appeared
more distinct.
HIT HIM AGAIN.
The next patient was decrepit-looking
old woman in calico dress, plaid shawl
and worsted hood. She exposed rather
bony and attenuated arm, but muscular
withal, and said she had the rheumatic SO
bad she couldn't close her fingers.
The doctor rubbed and chafed her arms
till the blood was thoroughly circulated,
then asked her to close her fingers, which
she did.
''Now strike my hand" said his mag
netic giblets, holding out his open palm.
The old lady's bony knuckles whacked
him over the edge of his fingers.
'Strike again"
She did SO, and his giblets WINGED.
''StrIke again"
the old lady, who was not accustomed to
strike from the shoulder. missing her
mark, breathlessly lunged sidewise and
came near falling in the arms of the heal
ing wizard, who hurriedly exclaimed
''nextW
Several other patients went through
the same circus. The doctor announced
to the long line of walters that at his
Office he charged fee, and would be glad
to heal the ailments of any who might
call upon him there
The whole business appeaEs to be a
fake, and the Board of Health and the
police should ascertain whether it is or
not.