New-York tribune., 1906-05-13
FEELING AT a DISTANCE.

r H A. CTopeka, KanO: Is there any truth
An TIE assertion TO the effect that under certain
en- nditicns person can be made TO feel az a dis
ssnce? And If true. how can this phenomenon
be explained
TIE inquirer doubtless refers 20 the phenom-
.non known IN psychology as exteTioEisation Of
fbe gensibility. and observed on certain subjects
rbsn put into hypnotic sleep. In this state the
.nbiect. though in his body deprived OF the sense
of touch and the feeling OF pain. shows great
ssnsitiveness at the approach OF q needle 20 q
csr4sfn point outside OF his body. Although this
Secf bas been known for q long time, IL has, on
account o1 its rarity, as yet been little investl-
ested scientifically From the reports e1 expert
SSssnts made on this subject and published by
'be faculty OF psychology OF Lille. the following
Fscts seem, however established: The subject
mi into profound hypnotic sleep maniteSts q
foen pain when needle or pencn ls pointed
g0ainsr his body at a distance OF ten TO twelve
i5ehes Slight waving motions maze with the
bend at q distance are sensed as ceTesses; cold
~ warm objects when approached, are felt as
Qreh In short the subject acts IN q manner as
Sborah his area OF sensibility were shifted by
several inches outside Of his body This 1s also
observed IN the other sides OF the body, 50 Tna1
q is evident that the body is surrounded as. AT
--ore by g kind Of sensitive envelope When the
Rosv Is first touched by an appropriate object
scS e q coin. the subject viii feel It when ap-
TFoached 20 him without his knowledge even at
4 distance OF several meters. An explanation OF
Tlof be given the subject has not been SUI
fcieutly studied. They tried 20 explain Dy
,1onsal suggestion; but IN view OF the fact that
Al mary Of these experiments the operator NM
~ vas ignorant Of the nature OF the object he
pTpeTsmented with this explanation cannon Dc
ooceu4ed We are, therefore. here In the pres
ence Of q hitherto unexplained fact We must
hoVsver not forget that this remarkable SEN
gfbIity et q distance" has its analogy IN tne
other sense perceptions We see, hear eno
r-narl al a distance, and nothing prevents us
g-onn increasing this distance at viii by means
oS apparatus, such es the microscope, telescope
m telephone. This fact no longer appears 10 US
mysterious. because we know OF the undulafory
motions OF light and sound: hence the meolaIor
between or organs OF sense and the sources OF
liqht and sound. In the case Of smelling we DO
not know this mediator with certainty, and we
deem It. therefore. not unreasonable TO assume
also the possibility OF mediatang substance OF
feeling This assumption, 20 be sure, is a mere
hypothesis AT any rate, however, the phenom-
enon Of feeling at a distance IS perhaps the
starting point OF never before dreamed OF eX-
tension of our knowledge IN this direction.
What the Theosophists tell US about the astral
body" may be found TO have some scientific
foundation. All we need IS a genius like Bell.
Edison OF Narconi 10 invent some apparatus oy
means Of which our sense Of feeling can be exc
tended far as is at present our sense OF s1gnG
and hearing. Then every citizen in the re-
Ynotest part Of the Union VIII be able TO shake
hands with President Roosevelt without the
necessity Of making a pilgrimage TO Washing
ton The lover viii kiss and feel the kisses Of
his lady love though separated from her by
thousands Of miles. When the temperature rises
uncoUfOrtably high we need only 70 extend our
sensibility IS far as the seaShore TO be caressed
b. its cool breeZes and "a the cold winter we VIII
laugh at the coal man. as we can, free OF cost.
sun under the serene sky OF italy. The beggar
viii be able 10 feast on the good things at Del
monico's without even as much as a tip to the
waiter, though with this mode OF feeding, Hike
the gods the sacrifices, there Is little ch9ncS
for his body growing fat. But we must also be
prepared Of being slapped and punched and
kicked and thrashed and robbed and killed az q
distance by invisible enemies. This reflection Is
sufficient to spoil all our pleasure In the antici-
patton of the marvels Of feeling at distance.