Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26

NEW FACULTY AMAZES SCIENCE
Scientists Led by Duke Psychologist in Study of Expert
ments in Which Nature Has Given to Some Persons
Perception Without Sensory Contact

ciates are standing clear Of the claim
that they are dealing with something
supernatural" There is an old dictum
in science that no new elements must
be introduced to explain any phenom-
enon which is subject TO any sort Of
satisfactory explanation from the be-
havior of known elements. They would
welcome anything which would enable
them to fit their supersensory percep-
ton into any accepted psychological.
physiological or biochemical pattern.
To date they have made little progress
on this line.
But even II they are unable to un-
cover any link with the sensory world
OF common sense, they would not be
willing to concede that they are going
beyond Lature. They have only found
some aspect OF nature hitherto unex-
plored Extrasensory perception need
not be any more supernatural than
radio or television. Eventually, they
believe, it will be found to respond to
laws. just like any other natural phe-
nomenon.
Specifically, at least, it bears some
resemblance to the second SIGHT of
Scotland and Ireland, and the as
founding prescience reliably reported
from India and Tibet. Eventually they
hope to investigate these things, but
not until they know lot more about
the behavior of their mediums" in
the laboratory. 1t would be fatal at
present, DR.. Rhine says. to let any
suggestion of Oriental mysticism creep
into the experiments or to influence
their own minds.
nR. RHINE has just finished tri.
umphant trip through the East,
visiting various cities and universities.
Distinguished educators have told him
Of their own mystical experiences,
which they hesitated to reveal to any
body until they were assured there was
some scientific basis for them. Take,
for example, DR.. William Mather Lewis,
president of Lafayette University and
| former president of George Washing
ton. Some months ago, he told DR..
Rhine, he experienced a very vivid
dream in which he saw an old class
mate. He had not heard from the man
in years, although once they had been
close friends. He mentioned the
| dream at the breakfast table. and said
he intended to write the man that
day and renew their old friendship.
Something happened and DR.. Lewis
did not write that day. In few days
he had forgotten about the incident.
Then came letter from the old
friend. He was writing, he said, be-
cause on a certain night-the very
night OF President Lewis dream-he
had experienced an especially vivid
dream in which he had seen his old
classmate and resolved to get in touch
with him again. They don't consider
the incident supernatural" but 1t
may fit into the pattern Of the ex-
periments at Duke. Everywhere DR..
Rhine goes. distinguished persons re-
count similar experiences.
Other psychologists all over the
| country are taking the matter up.
| Shutting the cards is becoming a
popular indoor sport in psychologist
cal laboratories. Just the other day,
a grave professor and his assistant
here were caught at it.
IN SOME respects this extra-sensory
perception obeys the laws of all
other neural phenomena:
/. It responds to drug depressants
and stimulants. Dr. Rhine found
that it was almost entirely extinguish-
ed by nsrcotizing doses of sodium
amytal, well-known sleep producer.
On the other hand it is improved
and can be restored when it is
lagging-by caffeine, best-known Of
nerve wakeners.
2. 1t responds Enthusiastically to
concentration, distraction, physical
WEAKNESS and emotional level. The
receptors have bad and good days.
An emotional upset greatly reduces
the ability. and may destroy it al
together
In other respects it does not fit
into the nerve-a action picture:
/. The ability itself does not improve
with use, following very rapid pre-
liminary improvement, which seems
to be due to the breaking of inhibition,
2. The perception is not subject to
exhaustion with use, although 1t Is
influenced by physical exhaustion.
3. There is no perceptible relation
between strength of reception and
iy11p
the card may be large, or so small
that it barely can be seen by the
naked eye 1t makes no difference 10
the one who Sees There may be
single figure or a score printed on
card 1t makes no difference. The
sender in the telepathic experiments
may concentrate for full minute on
the figure he wishes to transmit, or
may allow it to occupy his mind only
for fraction of a second. There Is
no difference in the perception.
4. Age makes no difference. Per-
sons of so make as good records as
children of four, and vice versa. ex-
cept that the curves for the youngsters
run down quickly because they be-
come distracted.
nR. RHINE and his associates
- would like to believe that they are
dealing with neural phenomenon.
which complies with the established
laws of learning and .other psyche
logical manifestations. But If this is
the case. they are forced to admit,
there are good many extraordinary
contradictions to be resolved.
A possibility, to which they have
given earnest attention and up7a
which they have consulted some OF
the foremost physicists IN che couE-
try, is that this is radiation phe-
nomenon of some sort. Perhaps ev-
cry object gives off photonS, moving
in waves, to which some nerve cells OF
the brain are receptive. Just where
such radiation would fit in the spec
| l. ..n-