The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-23
DOGS OF PSYCHIC SENSE.
Prof. Paul Gibier Talks On his Theory
That Dogs Have Souls.
From the New York Evening sun.

That Dogs Have Souls.
From the New York Evening Sun.
DIR. Paul Gibier, the student of DIR.
Pasteur and the eminent specialist on hy-
drophobia, has just made public the results
of his experiments on dogs, which reveal
that these animals come under the in
huence of psychical causes, the same as
human beings when certain conditions of
ulsease are found. Incidentally the
learned doctor enunciated the ancient
theory, which is very generally held,
that dogs have souls, but of course ami
nal souls are distinct from that higher
attribute of man called the spirit. To a
reporter who interviewed him upon his
theories, he said:
Naturally the announcement that il
can be scientifically demonstrated that
| dogs have souls will be received with
surprise by persons who have given no
/ thought TO the subject. / do not believe
that l am alone in the belief, however.
IL is my opinion, although | can mention
no names Just now, that the belief is COM
mon to most scientists To me the fact
| appears self-evident. Look at the many
well authenticated cases where dogs
have committed suicide after the death
or absence of loved master or mistress,
ana even in some cases after separation
| from a canine companion.
Il have half dozen dog pets Of my
| own that think great deal of and that
! nave always manifested a lively affection
| Tor me. ] have spent a great deal of time
| IN OBSERVING, for my own reCreatio their
| manifestations of intelligence Dogs have
many modes of expression. They APP
! pear to understand each other about as
readily as men do. There may not be
| perfect understanding, of course, any
more than there is a perfect understand
| ing between one man and another This
understanding is limited by the means of
! expression. We try to say what we mean
in words, but the words may be under
stood in different sense by the person
who hears them from what the speaker
| intended.
DOGS READ EACH OTHERS THOUGHTS.
can observer of the habits of dogs will
note that the canine eye Is very express
slve. 1t may be that one dog can read
anothers thought by means of the eve
There are many other physical manifesto
| tions of feeling on the part of the dog,
! such as the wagging of the tail when
| plea sed, or placing the tail between the
! legs when scared, and so on The expert
| ment of producing glycosuria in the dog
| by means of physical eXcitations has been
! tried upon other animals with negative
| results. This, however, does not prove
| that these other animals may not be SINH
| larly affected under like conditions. Not
| all men would be affected physically by
| mental trouble, even as much as the dog
| was in the experiment. One man might
! lose his whole fortune, his nearest and
! dearest relatives, and not worry bit
! Another man might lose 81, 900 aud brood
! over it until fatal attack of diabetes was
| brought on.
"Of course, in common with all scient-
| lists, believe in the theory of evolution
| The dogs soul is more highly developed
! perhaps, than that of some other animals,
but of course lacks the higher develop
| ment that is to be found only in the soul
of man. A dog, for instance, couldn't
write book or read q newspaper, or do
| any of the-many things that belong only
| to man. But when it comes to the lower
| processes of mans mind, such as the de-
! sire for good things to eat and, in fact,
all that is of the animal nature, the dogs
! soul is on level with the mans soul.
However, this question is one upon
| which nan CANNOT be too careful in talk
| ing. He4s so liable to be misunderstood
have said, of course, that dogs lack the
| higher attribute of sthe human soul
| which l will call the spirit,
A FASCINATING STUDY.
~ know of many intances demonstra-
! ting the intelligence of the dog, his ca
| pacity for feeling love or hate, and his
noble sense of duty-conscienc | might
almost call it.
But it is dangerous ground to tread
! upon" said the doctor, with a smile Il
| have made many experiments, and of
course | have theories of my own. You
have come up here to see if you couldn't
get some of my ore, and l think l shall
initiate cynic of my own country, and
| say with him: If had my hands full of
truth | should be very careful TO let none
escape | do not care to enter further
into the questions of psychology which
are raised by the existence of common
| link between the inferior order of emo
tions Of man and those of the lower ami
mails. A great deal might be said, but |
will not say it, at least not now.
"ln my younger days | made a special
study of these psychological questions. l
have written two large books on
psychology, which were published in
France. One of these days | may write
more upon the subject, but not soon. 1t is
a fascinating study, and one that opens
up great possibilities.
"Dr Pasteur is so sensitive about the
suffering of dogs that he cannot bear to
be witness at any surgical operation,
such as viyisectlon, although the animal
has been previously placed under the in
fluence of chloroform, and is supposed to
be insensible to pain.
las l SAID In my lecture before the
biological section of the Academy of
Sciences on Monday evening: To my
mind experimenters upon the animals
should take the emotional factor into
consideration, and remember that vivi-
section may sometimes affect the animal
as much in its psychical entity as in its
material body"
COYOTE FARMING IN KANSAS.