The Columbus journal., 1892-07-13

smelling salts. . few basins OF cold
water. some sponges and . galvenic
battery. It was now bright daylight
and the two doctors SMILED a they
looked at me.
when 1 remembered the terrible
experiment, 1 sl,uddered with horror.
aud tried to rise. I felt too weak, how
ever. and sank back helpless into the
chair. Then the circuit physician. in
. friendly, but firm voice. addressed me:
Compose yourself. young man.
You imagined you were slowly bleed
ing to death; nevertheless. be assured
that you have not lost .
single drop of blood. You have
undergone no operation whatever,
but have simply been the victim
of your own Imagination. We knew
very well you heard every word of our
conversation, a conversation which was
only intended to deceive You n much
rs possible. What I maintained was,
that a mans body will always CON-
pletely lie under the influence of what
he himself firmly believes, whilst my
colleague. on the other hand, held the
opinion that the body can never be
hurt by anything which only exists in
the imagination. This has long been
an open question between us. which,
after your capture, we at once deter
mined to decide. So we surrounded
you with objects of a nature to infu-
ence your imagination. aided further
by our conversation; and, finally, your
conviction, that we would really carry
out the operation of which You heard
us speak. completed the deception.
".You have now the satisfaction of
knowing that you are as safe and sound
IS ever you were. At the same time
we assure you that you really showed
all the symptoms of y man bleeding to
death. u proof that the body can some
times suffer from the most absurd un-
reality that the mind can imagine
"Astonlshment, Joy and doubt at
finding myself neither dead nor dying
struggled within me, and then rage at
having been subjected to such an awful
and heartiess experiment by the two
doctors, me. / was quickly
interrupted by DIR. Engler, however, on
trying to give free scope to my indigna-
ton.
1--we had not exactly any right to
undertake such an experiment with
you,' he said; but we thought you
would pardon us if W delivered you
from certain punishment, instead OF
having to undergo a painful trial and
long Imprisonment for burglary.
You ase certainly ut liberty to COM
plain about us; but consider. my good
fellow, if such a step is in your in
terests. do not think 50. On the
other hand. we are quite willing to
make you = fitting compensation for all
the agony you have suffered
sUnder the circumstances" con-
tinued George Martin. Il considered it
wise to accept their proposal. although
l have not to this day forgiven the two
men for so treating me.
THE doctors kept their promise.
They made me a very handsome pres
ent and troubled themselves about me
in other ways. so that since that time
l have been a more fortunate, and, l
hope, a better man. Still have never
forgotten the hour when l lay on the
dissecting table-the unexpected vic
tim of a terribl. experiment-in the in
terests of science. US DIR. Engler ex-
planned"
Such was the strange story of my
friend. His death, which recently
took place. released me from the
promise of secrecy given to him about
event, which lie could never recall.
even alters lapse of thirty years. with
out a feeling of undated horror
Strand Magazine