The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-03-20
Is 1t Possible 10 Accurately Weigh
the Soul Of Man?
CLAIMS 1T WAS DONE
DR.. SlacdougaIl, Of Eayc-hill, Mass,
Tells Of Experiments. He Says
Loss Of Weight Of Body Was Re
corded, and the Scales Showed an
Ounce Gone in One Case Rishl
After Death.

That the human soul has dedn.
ite weight, which can be determined
when it passes from the body is the
belief Of DR.. Duncan Nacdougali, a
reputable physician of Eaverhill,
Mass. He is the head Of a research
society which for six years has been
experimenting in this field. With
him he says. have been associated
four other physicians.
DR.. Macdougall's obejct was to
learn if the departure Of the soul
from the body was attended By any
manifestation that could be record
ed by any physical means. The chief
means to which resort was made was
the determination Of the weight OF
q body before and after death.
The method followed was to place
dying patient in bed upon one Of
theplatforms rf pair OF scales made
expressly for the experiments, and
then to balance this weight by plac-
ing an equal weight in the opposite
platform. These scales were con-
structed delicately enough to be SEN
sitive to a weight of less than one
tenth Of an ounce.
II every case after death the plat
form oposite the one in which lay
the subject OF the test fell suddenly
so Dr.. Macdougall says. The figures
on the dial index indicated the din
inishment OF weight Dr.. Macdou-
gall told of the results Of his exper-
inenty as follows:
-Four other physicians under my
direction made the first test upon
patient dying Of tuberculosis. This
man was one Of the ordinary type OF
the usual American temperament,
neither particularly high strung nor
Of marked phlegmatic disposition.
We placed him few hours proceed
ing death, upon scale platform,
which I had constructed and which
was accurately balanced. Four hours
later with FIVE doctors in attendance
he died.
"The instant life ceased the oppos-
ite scale pan fell with suddennees
that was astonishing; as Il some
thing had been suddenly lifted from
the body. Immediately all the usual
deductions were made for physical
loss Of weight, and it wss discovered
that there was still full ounce Of
weight unaccounted for
81 submitted another subject at
ficted with the same disease and
nearing death to the same expe:'-
ment. He was a man Of much the
same temperament as the proceeding
patient and of about the same ply
sical type. The same result
happened at the passing Of his HE
The instant the heart ceased 10 70
there was a sudden and almost In
canpy diminishment in weight.
Gas experiments, each physician IN
attendance made figures Of his own
concerning the loss. and, at a con-
sultatioa, these figures were conpa1-
ed The unaccountable loss contin-
ued to be shown.
'tBut this was less remarkable
than what took place II the tnlTo
case. the subject was that Of man
Of larger physical build, with a pro-
nounced sluggish temperament.
When life ceased, IS the body lay
In bed upon the scales, for full min
ute there appeared to be no change
in weight. he physicians waiting IN
the room looked into each others
faces silently, shaking their heads
in the conviction that our test hao
failed.
"Then suddenly. the same thing
happened that had occurred IN .ae
other cases. There was a sudden
diminution in the weight, which was
soon found to be the same as ths1
of the preceding experiments.
e.I believe that in this case thse
OF a phlegmatic man slow of thought
and action, that the soul renamed
suspended in the body after death'
during the minute that elapsed be,
fore it came to the consciousness OF
its freedom. here IS no other way
of accounting for it, and 1t is what
might be expected to happen IN
man OF the subjects temperament.
Three other cases we're trieo, n
Guiding that Of woman ana ~
each It was esta blished that weight
Of from one-half to q ful! ounce oe-
oarted from the body at the nomenl
Of expiration Of life
-,, cH- rCNCHENG