The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-03-29
BAN ON WATER WITCH
Uncle Sam Officially ExpIodes
Ancient Superstition.
Investigation Shows Remarkable Mum.
Der of Books and Pamphlets
Written on Subject.

Uncle Sam has given an official Opin.
ion on the efficacy Of the water
WITCH"
The idea that q fOrked twig, or so
called divining rod, is useful in locat.
ing minerals, finding hidden treasure
or detecting criminals Is curious SUI
perStitiOn that has been a subject of
discussion since the middle of the six
teenth century, and still has strong
hold on the popular mind. even in this
country, This Is evident from the
large number of inquiries received
each year by the United States geo
logical survey. department of the in
terror, as to the efficacy of such twig.
especially for locating underground
water. To furnish reply to these in
quirieS, the geological survey has pub
lished a brief paper by Arthur J..
Ellis, on the history of water witching
with IA photography that includes a
truly astonishing number of books and
pamphlets on this uncanny subject.
In summary the paper states: It is
doubtful whether so much inveStiSa-
ton and discussion have been be-
slowed on any other subject with such
absolute lack of positive results. 1t is
ditfcult to see how for practical pur-
poses the entire matter could be more
thoroughly discredited. 1t is by no
means true that all persons using a
tOrked twig or some other device for
locating water or other minerals are
intentional deceivers. Some of them
are doubtless men of good character
and benevolent Intentions. However,
as anything that can be deeply veiled
in mystery affords a good opportunity
for swindleS. there can be no reason
able doubt that many of the large
group of professional finders of water
oil, or other minerals who take pay for
their services" or for the sale of their
instruments" are deliberately defraud-
ing the people and that the total
amount of money they obtain is large.
To all inquirerS the United States ge-
illogical survey therefore gives the adj
vice not to eXpend any money for the
services Of any water witch" or for
the use or purchase of any machine
or instrument devised for locating un-
herground water or minerals.
The origin of the superstition is lost
IN antiquity. What is believed to be
the first published description of the
7ivining rod is contained in GeOrgiuS
AgrlcOla's 'De re metallica," which
was published in 1856. The device be-
came common first in Germany as a
means for locating mines and also for
discovering buried treasure, a matter
Df rather common interest in those
lays, when the practice Of burying
money and plate for safe-keeping was
iery general. 1t was introduced into |
england by German miners during
he reign of Elizabeth Q55S-1603), and |
before the end of the seventeenth cen
ury it had spread through the coun-
rieS of Europe.
In the latter part of the eighteenth
entury an attempt was made to ex-
'lain water witching as an electric
'henomcnon, and later it was dis
usSed rs psychic phenomenon. At
lm0St every step in the advance of
cience someone has attempted to ex-
lain its supposed operation by means
f the latest scientific theories.
Before the present war there were
everal societies in Germany whose
ole object was said to be the study
f the divlning rod. In 1910 the de-
artment of agriculture of France ap-
ointed committee to investigate the
nbject, and in 1914 this committee
as still Investigating.