New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
TO AID PSYCHIC RESEARCH.
New Institute Is Founded to Supervise En-
dowments and Subsidies.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

10 the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: An important institute intended to be of
national character has been founded In this city
for the purpose of organizing certain scientific
Investigations while it conducts in one OF It's eios
a system Of philanthropic work. Its needs are the
subject Of this brief explanation IL mas oeeh m
corporated the American Institute Ior oclehtlhc
Research. 1t is be associated with any tor1n
Of teaching or propagancIsm, whether Pnilosophl-
CAL scientific religious but is modelled AFTER the
Carnegie Institution except that 1t VIII De per-
manenty limited to a definite ne1d OF WORK, con-
prising two more or less distinct classes OF phe-
nomena- Modelled it is after the institution
mentioned the institute will not engage directly In
Investigations but will supervise endowments and
subsidies for such men and bodies Of men as are
qualified TO conduct philanthropy ana lnVesuea-
ton in the fields which the work is 10 occupy
But the two departments of work are some
what different. only one Of them Offering oppor-
tunties for philanthropy, it will be necessary 10
consider them apart. The two fields comprehend
abnormal and alleged supernormal psychology or
psychic research. The former may be called
psychopathology. 1 shall explain both ana their
relation to the institute.
The first to be noticed is that Of psychic research.
though it does not come first in the official oo-
jects of the institute The institute viii not en-
gage officially in any Investigations connected WIN
this field, but will custodian Of funds to De
devoted to it. and viii that the properly guam
fed persons or bodies of persons shall be aided in
any legitimate way 10 do their work, The society
already occupied with the subject will not be
prejudicially affected by the plans OF the institute
but on the contrary, may be in a position 10 be
benefited by them. 1t would certainly receive re-
spectful consideration wherever legitimate CO.
operation might be effected.
It is certainly high time that this field should
ceive the attention of the scientific world in some
other manner than mere recognition. The scandal
of science is that it has not been endowed as
many less worthy causes have been The general
plan which has been Incorporated has the indorSe-
Iment of fifteen leading psychologists. teachers
and physicians, nearly all Of them connected with
universities. They comprise men of Harvard Uni
versity Clark University, Columbia University,
Pennsylvania University. Cincinnati University IN
diana University and others. ,-,,---
,rasf, n b i Eel resneHtlbfv ~ this work and
who suppose that it IS associated with the crank
la ii list tn Of he chef foGndes and Of
the work: This list will give some measure Of the
yesgatio9 and thus rsGye the ine1cusg65e ms
men back of this work are and Lord Rayleigh,
D. c. L. F. r. s.: the Marquis of Butte. K. ]. ; the
nyson, John Ruskin,, LII. D. 2. e. l.: Sir William Ian
CP90Ses 81 tie Ear S OK GrqM 0s@s Pnd
Arthur Balfour, Prime Minister Of England; Pro-
Professor W. r. Barrett Royal College OF Sciences.
Dublin: Professor j. G ADAMS the Observatory:
Professor Bernheim, Hopital Civil Nancy; Pro
fss0 Sarfe icbef bvsoogica Institute
Paris Professor Max Dessor, University Of Berlin,
fessor s. P. Langley Smithsonian Institution.
This list is but small part of the class sup
porting the Investigation. and It makes social in
GeTenGe 70 1t ne5fFfDle among ogFt re be
deemed one Of the greatest privileges TO put this
promises more for the race than any Investigation
ever undertaken by man. 1t matters not what the
there is reason to believe yhat if udiciousy man
portant than any economic or Industrial discovery
T. vii rso,,tra q Iarga amount IN mt the work
upon an adequate and permanent basis But owing
needed for the single field Of psychic research is
the small sum OF S50 4. wacn VII enapie me
the publication of material now ready for this.
and which viii later JUSTIFY an appeaI Tor ne qe-
diligently disposed class will see that this initial
The second leid that of psychopathology. in the
end will be occupied with both philanthroPic and
and publicly for this field At first it can occupy
and phenomena viii 1T rest the stud dent Of abnor-
ness OF the Institute without any prejudice to- or
equally Interested is 10 organize and centraze the
work done all over the country in this ned. Com
mittees Of medical men and properly qualified psy-
biologists will have 10 be organized for the collec
ton and study OF cases and the reporting Of results
f2F cIass.hcat0n and Pu2tatl9n when The md
end valuable material for scientific concentrations
and practical use may be Obtained:
proper clinic for study and therapeutic treatment
of certain types of functional mental disease IN
such troubles as may be made to yield to hypnotic
suggestion The type Of institution here in mind
is that Of the Salpetriere, under Pierre Janet or
the Clinic OF Berllton. in Paris. At present 1t is
wellnigI impossible for many physicians TO apply
hypnotic suggestion. owing to the absurd miscon-
ceptiOn Of the subject by the pubic, though they
favor its when other methods fail or when it is
wise TO employ IT.
A moderate sum would organize the clearing
house function of the institute including the pub
hCation of results. But 1t would require large
sum to establish the other part Of the work. The
object IS to cooperate not to compete, with
listing work and interests in the field. The class OF
supporting such work be consult
ing any reliable book insanity and hypnotisTn
such DR.. Milne BramWeIs.
II is IN the interest Of this work in both fields
that Mr.. and Mrs c. Griswold Bourne. Central
Park West. have opened their house to series Of
private meetings, where the Importance and sanity
the work be properly presented. The first
task is TO disillusion the public TO the nature
Of 1t.
I may add that the board OF trustees for the in
stitute has not yet been completed But Professor
William James. of Harvard University; DR.. MnOt
J. Savage, OF this city and Dr.. R. Heber Newton, Of
the same. are the board, and IL is intended TO
complete it with the selection Of men having an
equal standing in the country.
New-York, Nov. Il, 1901