Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-05-27
,r. M'KAHAx AND HIS GHosTLY GUARDIAN

DIR. M'KAIAN AND HIS GHOsTLY GUARDIAN
kahan SAYS: II an blind and have beer
since 1890. l am in the regular daily habi:
of walking on the street for exercise, and
in these walks there comes to me out OF
the darkness and gloom of my perpetual
night a phantom shadow. 1t has a hu
man form ald takes its place by my side.
As 20 along it goes with Inc, when /
stop it stops, when l turn about it does
the same and acts like sun shadow, but
that it is not sun shadow l know frem
several facts 1t is darker than sun
shadow, being black, and is often on the
same side with the sun. 1t is present on
cloudy day or clear day and appears even
on the darkest night. 1t is therefore
clear that it is not produced by any cXter
nal light There have bccn constant visit
ors of some kind since total loss cf vision,
and they have come with more OF less reg
ularity ever since would be very glad
to have q scientific explanation Of these
phenomena.
DR.. Arthur F. Mink, q ST. Louis neu-
rologst. maintains in The Post Dispatch
that the case is one Of optical hallucina
ton. \ hallucination is d false porcep-
tion as distinguished from an illusion,
which is a perverted perception. Dreams
are healthy hallucinations They are
caused by Il normal congestion of certain
brain cells. The dream corresponds to the
mental impressions stored in the congest
cd cells, There are two theories as to the
cause of waking hallucinations. One is
that they are caused by irritation of the
cerebral corte3, and the other held by
Theodore Neyncrt and others, is that it is
due to irritation Of the Subcortical gan
glia, in which the optical nerves end. We
do not see with the eye, but with the brain.
The eye is simply camera obscura. The
CLASSY portion, or c0rnea along with the
crystalline lens, represents the photo
graphic lens The delicate expansion in the
back Of the eye represents the ground glass.
The black choroid represents the black
cloth. The brain is the photographer. He
concludes that the man is afflicted with a
cerebral irritation Of some sort, which first
caused the blindness and is now causing
the Authorization. Persons whose sight is
unaffected are just as liable to have optical
hallucinations as blind persons Luther
had hallucination of seeing the devil,
and it was so real to him that he hurled
an ink bottle at ii, Napoleon when
wrought up thought he saw the star of
destiny. Sayanalola thought he saw the
sword OF Gods vengeance. These hallu-
cihaliohs are caused by pondering over one
hct Oh impressions until the cells where
thcy are stored become congcsted.
Mrs James ". Hadloch, II spiritualist of
national note, declares that from the
standpoint UI Il spirituaist there Is no
phenomenon connected with the case OF
Dr. Nchahan. His companion is spirit
iricId, sent 10 guide his steps and lead
nm safely through trying ordoalS.
Not tlll total blindness supcrvened, he
tells us, did this phantom visitor come.
Before he lost his sight his mind was so
crowded with material worries and cares
th'it no opportunity WAS given for the
manifestation Of spirit being. Now that
he lives lndarkness his mind gropcs about
lof something to feed upon, something to
sustain 1t, and it is rising above earthly
thlngs on to a spiritual plane, where the
ionged for relief and rest will be found.
HIS lnlnd, now free from petty entangie-
hents Is in a receptive condition, and his
spirit friend is recognized. That friend
mas been with him always, but it was not
until nature closed his natural eyes that
MS spiritual ones were opened and his life
SANo
hpfituailst belief that some spirit from
'he other world is constantly lowering
over Us. Some call it conscience, some an
understanding Of right and wrong and
o'hers term it honor, but we believe the
SUN small voice. is that of a departed
soui who loves US and would keep our
ieet IN the path of safety and honor. In
'iie oustle and care OF everyday life we be-
come SO absorbed in our duties that the
pfomptings of our invisible protector are
drowned and we oftcAtimcs go astray
once on every day, however, our minds
are IN condition to receive this spirit S
auVice Some Of us hearken to 1T much
oiteher than others, but the busiest and
1iiost worldly person at least once every
gay reefs the presence near. He may never
Aeea IL, never admit it, but it comes just
.'io same The unfortunate doctor tells
XIII hnls- lie s-e.cc !. !. hos a human form