Miscellaneous Intelligence.

Miscellaneous Intelligence.An Important Discovery.—In the New Education I have endeavored to show that there are qualities of the atmosphere which science has not yet recognized, which are of the highest importance to human health, and that an atmosphere may have vitalizing or devitalizing qualities with apparently the same chemical composition, because some vitalizing element has been added or subtracted.This vitalizing element, though analogous to electricity, is not identical with it. We find it absent in a room that has been recently plastered, and is not quite dry. Sleeping in such a room is positively dangerous. We find the same negative depressing condition wherever evaporation has been going on in the absence of sunlight, which appears to supply the needful element.As evaporation carries off this vitalizing element, precipitation or condensation seems to supply it, especially precipitation from the upper regions of the atmosphere to which it is carried by evaporation, and to which it is supplied by sunshine. Hence we experience a delightful freshness of the atmosphere after a summer shower, or on a frosty morning, when the moisture is not only precipitated, but condensed into frost. Frost gives off more of the exhilarating element of watery vapor than dew, because it is a step farther in condensation. Hence there is a healthful, bracing influence in cold climates, where all the moisture is firmly frozen, and a very unpleasant, depressing influence when a thaw begins. The vicinity of melting snow, or a melting iceberg, is unpleasant and promotive of catarrh and pulmonary diseases.The pleasant influence of the fresh shower ceases when the fallen moisture begins to evaporate, and the dewy freshness of the early morn before sunrise ceases as the dew evaporates. The most painfully depressing atmosphere is that which sometimes comes in cold weather from Northern regions which have long been deprived of sunshine.This element of health, which physiologists have neglected to investigate, has recently been sought by Dr. B. W. Richardson of England. The Popular Science News (of Boston) says:—“Dr. B. W. Richardson of England, in making some investigations upon the physiological effects of breathing pure oxygen by various animals, has discovered, that, by simply passing the gas a few times through the lungs, it becomes “devitalized,” or incapable of supporting life, although its chemical composition remains the same, and all carbonic dioxide and other impurities are removed. He also found, that, by passing electric sparks through the gas, it became “revitalized,” and regained its usual stimulating effect upon the animal economy. The devitalized oxygen would still support life in cold-blooded animals, and combustible bodies would burn in it as brilliantly as ever. Dr. Richardson considers that, while the gas is in contact with the tissues or blood of a warm-blooded animal, some quality essential to its life-supporting power is lost. The subject is an interesting and important one, and deserves a more thorough investigation.”Jennie Collinshas passed on to her reward above. It would be wrong to neglect mentioning the remarkable career of this devoted woman, who for thirty-five years has been the guardian angel of the poor and struggling women of Boston. Rising from friendless poverty, she became widely known as a champion of human rights, and woman’s rights, and, finally, as the founder and indefatigable sustainer of that benevolent institution widely known as Boffin’s bower. Her literary powers were finely displayed in a little volume entitled “Nature’s Aristocracy,” and her mental vigor wasshown in many public addresses. Jennie Collins was a noble illustration of the best form of Spiritualism. She was accompanied, inspired, and sustained by spirit influence, but did not deem it expedient to let this fact be generally known. The world is not yet enlightened.Greek Philosophy.—The essential pedantic stupidity of Aristotle’s logic, and its power to belittle and benumb the intelligence of its reverential students has been shown in every college where this effete study is kept up. We have no better illustration of late than its effect on Prof. Harris, who is a very intelligent and useful citizen, but who has been so befogged by such studies as to suppose that his pedantic talk about syllogisms embodies an important contribution to philosophy, and indeed it was announced as such by his reporter. The superstitious reverence for Greek literature is impressed on all young collegians, and few recover from it. Sir William Hamilton and R. W. Emerson, who were much more intellectual and brilliant than Prof. Harris, were as badly afflicted as he with this Greek superstition, which has been implanted in school boys so young that it dominates their whole lives with the energy of a prenatal condition. The only very silly things ever written by the brilliant Emerson were those passages in which he speaks of Plato; and the silliest thing in the life of Hamilton is the way in which he exulted over some trivial modification of Aristotle’s syllogistic ideas, which was about as trivial as that of Prof. Harris, and allowed himself to be publicly flattered by one of his students in the most fulsome manner for the wonderful profundity of his wisdom, that could even add something to the divine wisdom of Aristotle.To tell a Greek idolater that the divine Plato thought it a greatMYSTERYthat one and one should make two, that he declared it to be incomprehensible to him, and thought the only possible solution of the mystery to be, that two is produced “byparticipation in duality,” would surprise him; but he would be still more surprised to learn that this is only a specimen brick of Plato’s divine philosophy, as it abounds in similar puerilities. I have long since reviewed this effete philosophy of an ignorant age, and shown its true character, but my work has never been offered to a bookseller. Yet it shall not be suppressed. The destruction of stultifying superstitions is as necessary in education and literature as in religion. The ponderous blows of Lord Bacon upon this Greek superstition of the literary classes did not prove fatal, for the same reason that animal organisms of a low, cold-blooded, grade are hard to kill,—they must be cut up in fragments before their death becomes complete; superstitions and beliefs that have no element of intelligent reason, and are perpetuated by social influence, authority, and domination over the young become a blind force that resists all influence from reason.If my readers are interested in the destruction of venerable and powerful falsehoods that stand in the way of every form of progress, I may be tempted to publish a cheap edition of my work on Greek Philosophy and Logic. It is not in the least presumptuous to lay hands upon this venerable illusion, and show that it has not even the vitality of a ghost. It is but a simulacrum or mirage, and it is but necessary to approach it fearlessly, and walk through it, to discover its essential nonentity.Symposiumsdeserves a good report. One of the philosophers, whose doctrines were poetically paraphrased in the report of the scientific responses upon human immortality, writes that he enjoyed the poetical paraphrase very much, and never laughed over anything so heartily. It would be pleasant to hear the real sentiments of the remainder. It would be equally interesting to hear how Prof. Harris and the other Concordians enjoy the little sketch of their symposium.Literature of the Past.—“In an article on the ‘Archetypal Literature for the Future,’ by Dr. J. R. Buchanan, which appears in theJournal of Manfor March, the writer foreshadows a time to which the American mind is fast advancing when the literature of the past will take its place amongst the mouldering mass which interests the antiquarian, but has no positive influence in guiding the thoughts and actions of the passing generation. There are some indications of a movement in that direction in other countries, though the vast majority, including many Spiritualists and Theosophists, still explore the records of past ages, looking for the light which is shining all about them in the present, unrealized.”—Harbinger of Light, Australia.The Concord School.—We are glad that the Concord School is over, and we should think that the people that have been there would be glad to get home and take part in the things which interest average folks. If people like that sort of thing and can afford it, there is no reason why they should not go there and stay. But to the average man the whole thing looks about as near time wasted as anything which even Boston furnishes to the “uncultured” world outside.—Boston Record.New Books.—“The Hidden Wayacross the threshold, or the mystery which hath been hidden for ages and from generations,—an explanation of the concealed forces in every man to open the temple of the soul and to have the guidance of the unseen hand.—By J. C. Street, A. B. N., Fellow of S. S. S., and of the Brotherhood Z. Z. R. R. Z. Z.” Lee & Shepard, publishers, Boston ($3.50). This is a very handsome volume of nearly 600 pages, which I have not had time to examine. It appears to be chiefly a compilation with quotation marks omitted, written in the smooth and pleasing style common in spiritual literature, without any attempt at scientific analysis or criticism. Sharp critics condemn it, but it suits the popular taste and inculcates good moral lessons. I shall examine it hereafter.“Solar Biology—a scientific method of delineating character, diagnosing disease, determining mental, physical, and business qualifications, conjugal adaptability, etc., etc., from the date of birth.—ByHiram E. Butler, with illustrations.” Boston, Esoteric Publishing Company, 478 Shawmut Avenue ($5.00). This is a handsome volume, which, from a hasty examination, appears to be a large fragment of Astrology, containing its simplest portion, requiring no abstruse calculations, and hence adapted to popular circulation. It is meeting with some success, but those who feel much interest in astrology prefer to take in the whole science, which has a much larger number of votaries than is commonly supposed.Dr. Franz Hartmann, of Germany, has published some interesting volumes recently, on “Paracelsus,” “White and Black Magic,” and “Among the Rosicrucians,” which I have had no time to examine. A valuable essay from Dr. Hartmann is on file for publication in theJournal, in which he compares the doctrines of the occult philosophy with those presented in theJournal of Man.Progress of Chemistry.—Forty New Substances.—“During the decade ending with 1886 over forty discoveries of new elementary substances were announced, while the entire number previously known was less than seventy. No less than nine were detected by Crookes last year. The list is likely to be lengthened quite as materially in the current twelvemonth, as A. Pringle already claims to have found six new elementsin some silurian rocks in Scotland. Five of these are said to be metals, and the other is a substance resembling selenium, which the discoverer calls hesperisium. One metal is like iron, but does not give some of its reactions; another resembles lead, is quite fusible and volatile, and forms yellow and green salts; another, named erebodium, is black; the fourth is a light-gray powder, and the last is dark in color.”Astronomy.—“The absolute dimensions of a globular star cluster have been studied by Mr. J. E. Gore of the Liverpool Astronomical Society. These clusters consist of thousands of minute stars, possibly moving about a common center of gravity. One of the most remarkable of these objects is 13 Messier, which Proctor thinks is about equal to a first magnitude star. Yet Herschel estimated that it is made up of fourteen thousand stars. The average diameter of each of these components must be forty-five thousand two hundred and ninety-eight miles, and each star in this wonderful group may be separated from the next by a distance of nine thousand million miles.”“According to the computations of M. Hermite, a French astronomer, the total number of stars visible to the naked eye of an observer of average visual power does not exceed 6000. The northern hemisphere contains 2478, and the southern hemisphere contains 3307 stars. In order to see this number of stars, the night must be moonless, the sky cloudless, and the atmosphere pure. The power of the naked eye is here stayed. By the aid of an opera glass 20,000 can be seen, and with a small telescope 150,000, while the most powerful telescopes will reveal more than 100,000,000 stars.”“M. Ligner, an Austrian meteorologist, claims to have ascertained after careful investigation that the moon has an influence on a magnetized needle, varying with its phases and its declination. The phenomenon is said to be more prominently noticeable when the moon is near the earth, and to be very marked when she is passing from the full to her first or second quarter. The disturbances are found to be in their maximum when the moon is in the plane of the equator, and greater during the southern than it is during the northern declination.”Geology Illustrated.—I have often thought that when coal mines are exhausted and land is too valuable to be devoted to raising timber, it may become necessary to draw on the subterranean heat of the earth. This idea is already verified in Hungary.Late advices say: “The earth’s internal heat is now being used in a practical way at Pesth, where the deepest artesian well in the world is being sunk to supply hot water for public baths and other purposes. A depth of 3120 feet has already been reached, and the well supplies daily 176,000 gallons of water, heated to °150 Fahr.”A Mathematical Prodigy.—Reub Fields, living a few miles south of Higginsville, Mo., though he has no education whatever, and does not know a single figure or a letter of the alphabet, is a mathematical wonder. Though he never carries a watch, he can tell the time to a minute. When asked on what day of the week the 23d of November, 1861 came, he answered, “Saturday.” When asked, “From here to Louisiana, Mo. it is 159 miles; how many revolutions does the driving wheel of an engine fifteen feet in circumference make in a run from this place to Louisiana?” he replied, “55938 revolutions.” Reub was born in Kentucky, and claims that this power was given to him from heaven when he was eight years old, and that the Lord made but one Samson, one Solomon, and one Reub Fields, for strength, wisdom, and mathematics.Astrology in England.—Mrs. L. C. Moulton, correspondent of theBoston Herald, writes: “In old times a court astrologer used to be kept, as well as a court jester; but I confess I was not aware, until last night, that the astrologer of to-day might be as important to one’s movements as one’s doctor or one’s lawyer. One of the cleverest and busiest literary men in all London said to me last night that he thought the neglect of astrological counsel a great mistake. ‘I have looked into the subject rather deeply,’ he said, ‘and the more I search, the more convincing proof I find of the influence of the stars upon our lives; and now I never begin a new book, or take a journey, or, in short, do anything of any importance without consulting my astrologer.’ And then he went on to tell me the year in which the cholera devastated Naples he had thought of going there. Happily, he consulted his astrologer and was warned against it. In accordance with the astrologer’s advice, he gave up the journey; and just about the time he would otherwise have gone, news came of the cholera visitation. Last year he was warned against a certain journey—told that if he took it he would be ill. For once he defied the stars, and, in consequence, he was taken seriously ill with the very symptoms the astrologer had predicted. But, alas, his astrologer is fat and old—and what shipwreck may not my friend make of his life when the stars have reclaimed their prophet, and the poor fellow has to struggle on uncounselled!”Primogeniture Abolished.—“By a majority of eleven the House of Lords has abolished primogeniture in cases of intestacy. Thus, unless it is formally specified by will, property will henceforth be divided equally among heirs, as in this country. No longer will the eldest son, by the mere fact of the death of his father, come into possession of the estate to the exclusion of his brothers and sisters. Of course, entailed estates will not be affected, and property can be transmitted by will at the testator’s pleasure, but the notable point is that primogeniture cannot henceforth be looked upon as an institution so characteristic and time-honored that departure from it would be a really questionable proceeding.”Medical Intolerance and Cunning.—The proscriptive medical law of Iowa does not seem to be very effective, as it is believed to be unconstitutional, and its friends have been challenged to make test cases, but have not yet begun to enforce it. In Illinois they have a law that is imperative enough against practitioners without diplomas; but as this did not reach those who used no medicines, they have succeeded in procuring a law to reach them also by a new definition of “practicing medicine,” which the new statute says shall include all “who shall treat, operate on, or prescribe for any physical ailment of another.” This would seem sufficient to protect the M. D.’s against all competition, but there is some doubt whether such legislation can be enforced, as it is certainly a corrupt and selfish measure that was never desired by the people. TheReligio Philosophical Journalspeaks out manfully, and “advises all reputable healers of whatever school, to possess their souls in peace, and go steadily forward in their vocation, fearing neither Dr. Rauch nor the unconstitutional provisions of the statutes, under which he and his confederates seek to abridge and restrict the rights of the people. If any reputable practitioner of the healing art, who treats without drugs, is molested in his or her practice, let them invite prosecution, and communicate with theReligio Philosophical Journalfor further advice and assistance.” I regret to say there is a strong probability that the friends of medical freedom in Massachusetts will be again called upon to resist attempts to procure medical legislation.Negro Turning White.—A colored man named Antone Metoyer has been employed at the railroad works in this city (Sacramento) for some time, and his steadiness and industry have caused him to be esteemed by those acquainted with him. Seven or eight months ago his skin was black, but it commenced to turn white, and now his body, arms, legs and neck are as white as those of any Caucasian. The original color is now only upon his face, extending back of the ears, just beneath the chin, and across the upper portion of the forehead, making him appear to be wearing a close-fitting black or dark brown mask. On the chin and nose the dark color is beginning to wear away, and he thinks in a few weeks he will be perfectly white. His hair and whiskers are black and curly. Medical men have taken much interest in his case, and attribute the change in complexion to the effect upon his system of working constantly with potash and other material used in washing greasy waste. He has been advised that it may be dangerous for him to continue under this influence, but he declares that he will stay until the process he is undergoing is completed, if it kills him.—Record Union.The Cure of Hydrophobia.—“The English committee appointed by the local government board in April, 1886, to inquire into Pasteur’s inoculation method for rabies, report that it may be deemed certain that M. Pasteur has discovered a method of protection from rabies comparable with that which vaccination affords against infection from smallpox.” As many think there is no protection at all, the question is not finally settled. It is only the stubborn ignorance of the medical profession which gives to Pasteur’s experiments their great celebrity and importance. Other methods have been far more successful than Pasteur’s. Xanthium, Scutellaria (Skull-cap), the vapor bath, and chloroform or nitrous oxide are more powerful and reliable than any morbid inoculation.John Swinton’spaper, at New York, has come to an end. Swinton was a bold, eloquent, and fearless advocate of human rights as he understood them. His failure is an honor to him, and his name will be remembered. Perhaps if he had imitated the Boston dailies, by giving ten to eighteen columns to the record of base ball games, he might have put money in his purse, instead of losing it.In marked contrast to John Swinton’s failure, observe the success of theNew York Tribune, a newspaper founded by Horace Greeley, but which, since his death, has given, in its unscrupulous course, a good illustration of the Satanic press. TheBoston Heraldsays: “TheNew York Tribuneis perhaps as good an illustration of the old-fashioned partisan journal as there is in the country. There was an amusing reminiscence of the methods that used to be practised when theTribunewas found claiming the Legislature of Kentucky as having been carried by the Republicans in the late elections. The fact was that the Democratic majority in that body was about five to one, and there was really no excuse in a metropolitan journal for not knowing such to be the case.” TheTribuneonce complimented highly theJournal of Man, but that was when Horace Greeley was alive.Women’s Rights and Progress.—The last legislature of Pennsylvania passed a very radical law, providing that marriage shall not impose any disability as to the acquisition or management of any kind of property, making any contracts, or engaging in any business. However, she is not authorized to mortgage her real estate without her husband’s co-operation, nor become endorser for another alone. As to making a will she has the same rights as a man.Ohio has also advanced woman’s rights by enabling both husband and wife to dispose of property as if unmarried, and by giving each party one-third life interest in the other’s real estate.In Kansas, women can vote in city and town affairs, and hold municipal and town offices. In one town they have a female mayor. The supreme court of Kansas has decided that when a woman marries she need not take her husband’s name unless she chooses.Co-Educationis successful, nearly every prominent college is beginning to admit women, and they often carry off the prizes from the men. Exclusive masculine colleges will soon rank among the barbarisms of the past.Female education is advancing in Russia. The universities had 779 female students in 1886, 437 of whom were daughters of noblemen and official personages. On the other hand the Prussian Minister of Education refuses to admit women as regular students at any university or medical school.Several Italian ladies have distinguished themselves in legal knowledge, and the propriety of their admission to the bar is extensively discussed. About nine-tenths of the newspapers favor their admission.The practical question, which is most important to the welfare of women, is profitable employment. Miss Simcox says that there are about three millions of women in England engaged in industrial employments, while a large proportion of them, especially in London, have such poor wages as to produce continual suffering.Industrial Education, alike for boys and girls, is the true remedy, worth more than all the nostrums of politicians and demagogues.Spirit Writing.—Our handsome young friend, Dr. D. J. Stansbury, a graduate of the Eclectic Medical College of New York, is giving astonishing demonstrations on the Pacific coast. When a pair of closed slates is brought, he barely touches them, and the spirit writing begins. Sometimes the slates are held on the head or shoulders of the visitor. At one of his seances at Oakland, it is said that he held the slates for thirty-five persons within two hours, and obtained for each a slate full of writing in answers to questions placed between the slates. At a public seance in Santa Cruz, following a lecture, folded ballots were sent up by the audience and the answers were sometimes written on closed slates and sometimes by the doctor’s hands. Dr. S. has also succeeded in repeating the famous performance of Charles Foster—the names of spirits appearing on his arm in blood-red letters.Progress of the Marvellous.—TheBoston Heraldof Aug. 7 has a long account of the marvellous fires which occur in the house at Woodstock, New Brunswick, of Mr. Reginald C. Hoyt. The people of the town are greatly excited about it, and great crowds gather to witness it, but no one can explain it. The fires break out with no possible cause in the clothes, the carpet, the curtains, bed quilts, or other objects, as much as forty times in a day. The family are greatly worried and alarmed, and have been driven out of the house. TheHeraldreporter went to examine, but found it an entire mystery.A similar outbreak of fires has been reported in Pennsylvania, at the house of Thomas McKee, a farmer at Turtle Creek. For some weeks the invisible powers have been throwing things about in a topsy turvey way. Since that, flames break out suddenly in the presence of the family, and round holes are burned in the bed-clothes, towels, hats, dresses, and even packages of groceries in the pantry.

An Important Discovery.—In the New Education I have endeavored to show that there are qualities of the atmosphere which science has not yet recognized, which are of the highest importance to human health, and that an atmosphere may have vitalizing or devitalizing qualities with apparently the same chemical composition, because some vitalizing element has been added or subtracted.This vitalizing element, though analogous to electricity, is not identical with it. We find it absent in a room that has been recently plastered, and is not quite dry. Sleeping in such a room is positively dangerous. We find the same negative depressing condition wherever evaporation has been going on in the absence of sunlight, which appears to supply the needful element.As evaporation carries off this vitalizing element, precipitation or condensation seems to supply it, especially precipitation from the upper regions of the atmosphere to which it is carried by evaporation, and to which it is supplied by sunshine. Hence we experience a delightful freshness of the atmosphere after a summer shower, or on a frosty morning, when the moisture is not only precipitated, but condensed into frost. Frost gives off more of the exhilarating element of watery vapor than dew, because it is a step farther in condensation. Hence there is a healthful, bracing influence in cold climates, where all the moisture is firmly frozen, and a very unpleasant, depressing influence when a thaw begins. The vicinity of melting snow, or a melting iceberg, is unpleasant and promotive of catarrh and pulmonary diseases.The pleasant influence of the fresh shower ceases when the fallen moisture begins to evaporate, and the dewy freshness of the early morn before sunrise ceases as the dew evaporates. The most painfully depressing atmosphere is that which sometimes comes in cold weather from Northern regions which have long been deprived of sunshine.This element of health, which physiologists have neglected to investigate, has recently been sought by Dr. B. W. Richardson of England. The Popular Science News (of Boston) says:—“Dr. B. W. Richardson of England, in making some investigations upon the physiological effects of breathing pure oxygen by various animals, has discovered, that, by simply passing the gas a few times through the lungs, it becomes “devitalized,” or incapable of supporting life, although its chemical composition remains the same, and all carbonic dioxide and other impurities are removed. He also found, that, by passing electric sparks through the gas, it became “revitalized,” and regained its usual stimulating effect upon the animal economy. The devitalized oxygen would still support life in cold-blooded animals, and combustible bodies would burn in it as brilliantly as ever. Dr. Richardson considers that, while the gas is in contact with the tissues or blood of a warm-blooded animal, some quality essential to its life-supporting power is lost. The subject is an interesting and important one, and deserves a more thorough investigation.”

An Important Discovery.—In the New Education I have endeavored to show that there are qualities of the atmosphere which science has not yet recognized, which are of the highest importance to human health, and that an atmosphere may have vitalizing or devitalizing qualities with apparently the same chemical composition, because some vitalizing element has been added or subtracted.

This vitalizing element, though analogous to electricity, is not identical with it. We find it absent in a room that has been recently plastered, and is not quite dry. Sleeping in such a room is positively dangerous. We find the same negative depressing condition wherever evaporation has been going on in the absence of sunlight, which appears to supply the needful element.

As evaporation carries off this vitalizing element, precipitation or condensation seems to supply it, especially precipitation from the upper regions of the atmosphere to which it is carried by evaporation, and to which it is supplied by sunshine. Hence we experience a delightful freshness of the atmosphere after a summer shower, or on a frosty morning, when the moisture is not only precipitated, but condensed into frost. Frost gives off more of the exhilarating element of watery vapor than dew, because it is a step farther in condensation. Hence there is a healthful, bracing influence in cold climates, where all the moisture is firmly frozen, and a very unpleasant, depressing influence when a thaw begins. The vicinity of melting snow, or a melting iceberg, is unpleasant and promotive of catarrh and pulmonary diseases.

The pleasant influence of the fresh shower ceases when the fallen moisture begins to evaporate, and the dewy freshness of the early morn before sunrise ceases as the dew evaporates. The most painfully depressing atmosphere is that which sometimes comes in cold weather from Northern regions which have long been deprived of sunshine.

This element of health, which physiologists have neglected to investigate, has recently been sought by Dr. B. W. Richardson of England. The Popular Science News (of Boston) says:—

“Dr. B. W. Richardson of England, in making some investigations upon the physiological effects of breathing pure oxygen by various animals, has discovered, that, by simply passing the gas a few times through the lungs, it becomes “devitalized,” or incapable of supporting life, although its chemical composition remains the same, and all carbonic dioxide and other impurities are removed. He also found, that, by passing electric sparks through the gas, it became “revitalized,” and regained its usual stimulating effect upon the animal economy. The devitalized oxygen would still support life in cold-blooded animals, and combustible bodies would burn in it as brilliantly as ever. Dr. Richardson considers that, while the gas is in contact with the tissues or blood of a warm-blooded animal, some quality essential to its life-supporting power is lost. The subject is an interesting and important one, and deserves a more thorough investigation.”

“Dr. B. W. Richardson of England, in making some investigations upon the physiological effects of breathing pure oxygen by various animals, has discovered, that, by simply passing the gas a few times through the lungs, it becomes “devitalized,” or incapable of supporting life, although its chemical composition remains the same, and all carbonic dioxide and other impurities are removed. He also found, that, by passing electric sparks through the gas, it became “revitalized,” and regained its usual stimulating effect upon the animal economy. The devitalized oxygen would still support life in cold-blooded animals, and combustible bodies would burn in it as brilliantly as ever. Dr. Richardson considers that, while the gas is in contact with the tissues or blood of a warm-blooded animal, some quality essential to its life-supporting power is lost. The subject is an interesting and important one, and deserves a more thorough investigation.”

Jennie Collinshas passed on to her reward above. It would be wrong to neglect mentioning the remarkable career of this devoted woman, who for thirty-five years has been the guardian angel of the poor and struggling women of Boston. Rising from friendless poverty, she became widely known as a champion of human rights, and woman’s rights, and, finally, as the founder and indefatigable sustainer of that benevolent institution widely known as Boffin’s bower. Her literary powers were finely displayed in a little volume entitled “Nature’s Aristocracy,” and her mental vigor wasshown in many public addresses. Jennie Collins was a noble illustration of the best form of Spiritualism. She was accompanied, inspired, and sustained by spirit influence, but did not deem it expedient to let this fact be generally known. The world is not yet enlightened.

Jennie Collinshas passed on to her reward above. It would be wrong to neglect mentioning the remarkable career of this devoted woman, who for thirty-five years has been the guardian angel of the poor and struggling women of Boston. Rising from friendless poverty, she became widely known as a champion of human rights, and woman’s rights, and, finally, as the founder and indefatigable sustainer of that benevolent institution widely known as Boffin’s bower. Her literary powers were finely displayed in a little volume entitled “Nature’s Aristocracy,” and her mental vigor wasshown in many public addresses. Jennie Collins was a noble illustration of the best form of Spiritualism. She was accompanied, inspired, and sustained by spirit influence, but did not deem it expedient to let this fact be generally known. The world is not yet enlightened.

Greek Philosophy.—The essential pedantic stupidity of Aristotle’s logic, and its power to belittle and benumb the intelligence of its reverential students has been shown in every college where this effete study is kept up. We have no better illustration of late than its effect on Prof. Harris, who is a very intelligent and useful citizen, but who has been so befogged by such studies as to suppose that his pedantic talk about syllogisms embodies an important contribution to philosophy, and indeed it was announced as such by his reporter. The superstitious reverence for Greek literature is impressed on all young collegians, and few recover from it. Sir William Hamilton and R. W. Emerson, who were much more intellectual and brilliant than Prof. Harris, were as badly afflicted as he with this Greek superstition, which has been implanted in school boys so young that it dominates their whole lives with the energy of a prenatal condition. The only very silly things ever written by the brilliant Emerson were those passages in which he speaks of Plato; and the silliest thing in the life of Hamilton is the way in which he exulted over some trivial modification of Aristotle’s syllogistic ideas, which was about as trivial as that of Prof. Harris, and allowed himself to be publicly flattered by one of his students in the most fulsome manner for the wonderful profundity of his wisdom, that could even add something to the divine wisdom of Aristotle.To tell a Greek idolater that the divine Plato thought it a greatMYSTERYthat one and one should make two, that he declared it to be incomprehensible to him, and thought the only possible solution of the mystery to be, that two is produced “byparticipation in duality,” would surprise him; but he would be still more surprised to learn that this is only a specimen brick of Plato’s divine philosophy, as it abounds in similar puerilities. I have long since reviewed this effete philosophy of an ignorant age, and shown its true character, but my work has never been offered to a bookseller. Yet it shall not be suppressed. The destruction of stultifying superstitions is as necessary in education and literature as in religion. The ponderous blows of Lord Bacon upon this Greek superstition of the literary classes did not prove fatal, for the same reason that animal organisms of a low, cold-blooded, grade are hard to kill,—they must be cut up in fragments before their death becomes complete; superstitions and beliefs that have no element of intelligent reason, and are perpetuated by social influence, authority, and domination over the young become a blind force that resists all influence from reason.If my readers are interested in the destruction of venerable and powerful falsehoods that stand in the way of every form of progress, I may be tempted to publish a cheap edition of my work on Greek Philosophy and Logic. It is not in the least presumptuous to lay hands upon this venerable illusion, and show that it has not even the vitality of a ghost. It is but a simulacrum or mirage, and it is but necessary to approach it fearlessly, and walk through it, to discover its essential nonentity.

Greek Philosophy.—The essential pedantic stupidity of Aristotle’s logic, and its power to belittle and benumb the intelligence of its reverential students has been shown in every college where this effete study is kept up. We have no better illustration of late than its effect on Prof. Harris, who is a very intelligent and useful citizen, but who has been so befogged by such studies as to suppose that his pedantic talk about syllogisms embodies an important contribution to philosophy, and indeed it was announced as such by his reporter. The superstitious reverence for Greek literature is impressed on all young collegians, and few recover from it. Sir William Hamilton and R. W. Emerson, who were much more intellectual and brilliant than Prof. Harris, were as badly afflicted as he with this Greek superstition, which has been implanted in school boys so young that it dominates their whole lives with the energy of a prenatal condition. The only very silly things ever written by the brilliant Emerson were those passages in which he speaks of Plato; and the silliest thing in the life of Hamilton is the way in which he exulted over some trivial modification of Aristotle’s syllogistic ideas, which was about as trivial as that of Prof. Harris, and allowed himself to be publicly flattered by one of his students in the most fulsome manner for the wonderful profundity of his wisdom, that could even add something to the divine wisdom of Aristotle.

To tell a Greek idolater that the divine Plato thought it a greatMYSTERYthat one and one should make two, that he declared it to be incomprehensible to him, and thought the only possible solution of the mystery to be, that two is produced “byparticipation in duality,” would surprise him; but he would be still more surprised to learn that this is only a specimen brick of Plato’s divine philosophy, as it abounds in similar puerilities. I have long since reviewed this effete philosophy of an ignorant age, and shown its true character, but my work has never been offered to a bookseller. Yet it shall not be suppressed. The destruction of stultifying superstitions is as necessary in education and literature as in religion. The ponderous blows of Lord Bacon upon this Greek superstition of the literary classes did not prove fatal, for the same reason that animal organisms of a low, cold-blooded, grade are hard to kill,—they must be cut up in fragments before their death becomes complete; superstitions and beliefs that have no element of intelligent reason, and are perpetuated by social influence, authority, and domination over the young become a blind force that resists all influence from reason.

If my readers are interested in the destruction of venerable and powerful falsehoods that stand in the way of every form of progress, I may be tempted to publish a cheap edition of my work on Greek Philosophy and Logic. It is not in the least presumptuous to lay hands upon this venerable illusion, and show that it has not even the vitality of a ghost. It is but a simulacrum or mirage, and it is but necessary to approach it fearlessly, and walk through it, to discover its essential nonentity.

Symposiumsdeserves a good report. One of the philosophers, whose doctrines were poetically paraphrased in the report of the scientific responses upon human immortality, writes that he enjoyed the poetical paraphrase very much, and never laughed over anything so heartily. It would be pleasant to hear the real sentiments of the remainder. It would be equally interesting to hear how Prof. Harris and the other Concordians enjoy the little sketch of their symposium.

Symposiumsdeserves a good report. One of the philosophers, whose doctrines were poetically paraphrased in the report of the scientific responses upon human immortality, writes that he enjoyed the poetical paraphrase very much, and never laughed over anything so heartily. It would be pleasant to hear the real sentiments of the remainder. It would be equally interesting to hear how Prof. Harris and the other Concordians enjoy the little sketch of their symposium.

Literature of the Past.—“In an article on the ‘Archetypal Literature for the Future,’ by Dr. J. R. Buchanan, which appears in theJournal of Manfor March, the writer foreshadows a time to which the American mind is fast advancing when the literature of the past will take its place amongst the mouldering mass which interests the antiquarian, but has no positive influence in guiding the thoughts and actions of the passing generation. There are some indications of a movement in that direction in other countries, though the vast majority, including many Spiritualists and Theosophists, still explore the records of past ages, looking for the light which is shining all about them in the present, unrealized.”—Harbinger of Light, Australia.

Literature of the Past.—“In an article on the ‘Archetypal Literature for the Future,’ by Dr. J. R. Buchanan, which appears in theJournal of Manfor March, the writer foreshadows a time to which the American mind is fast advancing when the literature of the past will take its place amongst the mouldering mass which interests the antiquarian, but has no positive influence in guiding the thoughts and actions of the passing generation. There are some indications of a movement in that direction in other countries, though the vast majority, including many Spiritualists and Theosophists, still explore the records of past ages, looking for the light which is shining all about them in the present, unrealized.”—Harbinger of Light, Australia.

The Concord School.—We are glad that the Concord School is over, and we should think that the people that have been there would be glad to get home and take part in the things which interest average folks. If people like that sort of thing and can afford it, there is no reason why they should not go there and stay. But to the average man the whole thing looks about as near time wasted as anything which even Boston furnishes to the “uncultured” world outside.—Boston Record.

The Concord School.—We are glad that the Concord School is over, and we should think that the people that have been there would be glad to get home and take part in the things which interest average folks. If people like that sort of thing and can afford it, there is no reason why they should not go there and stay. But to the average man the whole thing looks about as near time wasted as anything which even Boston furnishes to the “uncultured” world outside.—Boston Record.

New Books.—“The Hidden Wayacross the threshold, or the mystery which hath been hidden for ages and from generations,—an explanation of the concealed forces in every man to open the temple of the soul and to have the guidance of the unseen hand.—By J. C. Street, A. B. N., Fellow of S. S. S., and of the Brotherhood Z. Z. R. R. Z. Z.” Lee & Shepard, publishers, Boston ($3.50). This is a very handsome volume of nearly 600 pages, which I have not had time to examine. It appears to be chiefly a compilation with quotation marks omitted, written in the smooth and pleasing style common in spiritual literature, without any attempt at scientific analysis or criticism. Sharp critics condemn it, but it suits the popular taste and inculcates good moral lessons. I shall examine it hereafter.

New Books.—“The Hidden Wayacross the threshold, or the mystery which hath been hidden for ages and from generations,—an explanation of the concealed forces in every man to open the temple of the soul and to have the guidance of the unseen hand.—By J. C. Street, A. B. N., Fellow of S. S. S., and of the Brotherhood Z. Z. R. R. Z. Z.” Lee & Shepard, publishers, Boston ($3.50). This is a very handsome volume of nearly 600 pages, which I have not had time to examine. It appears to be chiefly a compilation with quotation marks omitted, written in the smooth and pleasing style common in spiritual literature, without any attempt at scientific analysis or criticism. Sharp critics condemn it, but it suits the popular taste and inculcates good moral lessons. I shall examine it hereafter.

“Solar Biology—a scientific method of delineating character, diagnosing disease, determining mental, physical, and business qualifications, conjugal adaptability, etc., etc., from the date of birth.—ByHiram E. Butler, with illustrations.” Boston, Esoteric Publishing Company, 478 Shawmut Avenue ($5.00). This is a handsome volume, which, from a hasty examination, appears to be a large fragment of Astrology, containing its simplest portion, requiring no abstruse calculations, and hence adapted to popular circulation. It is meeting with some success, but those who feel much interest in astrology prefer to take in the whole science, which has a much larger number of votaries than is commonly supposed.

“Solar Biology—a scientific method of delineating character, diagnosing disease, determining mental, physical, and business qualifications, conjugal adaptability, etc., etc., from the date of birth.—ByHiram E. Butler, with illustrations.” Boston, Esoteric Publishing Company, 478 Shawmut Avenue ($5.00). This is a handsome volume, which, from a hasty examination, appears to be a large fragment of Astrology, containing its simplest portion, requiring no abstruse calculations, and hence adapted to popular circulation. It is meeting with some success, but those who feel much interest in astrology prefer to take in the whole science, which has a much larger number of votaries than is commonly supposed.

Dr. Franz Hartmann, of Germany, has published some interesting volumes recently, on “Paracelsus,” “White and Black Magic,” and “Among the Rosicrucians,” which I have had no time to examine. A valuable essay from Dr. Hartmann is on file for publication in theJournal, in which he compares the doctrines of the occult philosophy with those presented in theJournal of Man.

Dr. Franz Hartmann, of Germany, has published some interesting volumes recently, on “Paracelsus,” “White and Black Magic,” and “Among the Rosicrucians,” which I have had no time to examine. A valuable essay from Dr. Hartmann is on file for publication in theJournal, in which he compares the doctrines of the occult philosophy with those presented in theJournal of Man.

Progress of Chemistry.—Forty New Substances.—“During the decade ending with 1886 over forty discoveries of new elementary substances were announced, while the entire number previously known was less than seventy. No less than nine were detected by Crookes last year. The list is likely to be lengthened quite as materially in the current twelvemonth, as A. Pringle already claims to have found six new elementsin some silurian rocks in Scotland. Five of these are said to be metals, and the other is a substance resembling selenium, which the discoverer calls hesperisium. One metal is like iron, but does not give some of its reactions; another resembles lead, is quite fusible and volatile, and forms yellow and green salts; another, named erebodium, is black; the fourth is a light-gray powder, and the last is dark in color.”

Progress of Chemistry.—Forty New Substances.—“During the decade ending with 1886 over forty discoveries of new elementary substances were announced, while the entire number previously known was less than seventy. No less than nine were detected by Crookes last year. The list is likely to be lengthened quite as materially in the current twelvemonth, as A. Pringle already claims to have found six new elementsin some silurian rocks in Scotland. Five of these are said to be metals, and the other is a substance resembling selenium, which the discoverer calls hesperisium. One metal is like iron, but does not give some of its reactions; another resembles lead, is quite fusible and volatile, and forms yellow and green salts; another, named erebodium, is black; the fourth is a light-gray powder, and the last is dark in color.”

Astronomy.—“The absolute dimensions of a globular star cluster have been studied by Mr. J. E. Gore of the Liverpool Astronomical Society. These clusters consist of thousands of minute stars, possibly moving about a common center of gravity. One of the most remarkable of these objects is 13 Messier, which Proctor thinks is about equal to a first magnitude star. Yet Herschel estimated that it is made up of fourteen thousand stars. The average diameter of each of these components must be forty-five thousand two hundred and ninety-eight miles, and each star in this wonderful group may be separated from the next by a distance of nine thousand million miles.”“According to the computations of M. Hermite, a French astronomer, the total number of stars visible to the naked eye of an observer of average visual power does not exceed 6000. The northern hemisphere contains 2478, and the southern hemisphere contains 3307 stars. In order to see this number of stars, the night must be moonless, the sky cloudless, and the atmosphere pure. The power of the naked eye is here stayed. By the aid of an opera glass 20,000 can be seen, and with a small telescope 150,000, while the most powerful telescopes will reveal more than 100,000,000 stars.”“M. Ligner, an Austrian meteorologist, claims to have ascertained after careful investigation that the moon has an influence on a magnetized needle, varying with its phases and its declination. The phenomenon is said to be more prominently noticeable when the moon is near the earth, and to be very marked when she is passing from the full to her first or second quarter. The disturbances are found to be in their maximum when the moon is in the plane of the equator, and greater during the southern than it is during the northern declination.”

Astronomy.—“The absolute dimensions of a globular star cluster have been studied by Mr. J. E. Gore of the Liverpool Astronomical Society. These clusters consist of thousands of minute stars, possibly moving about a common center of gravity. One of the most remarkable of these objects is 13 Messier, which Proctor thinks is about equal to a first magnitude star. Yet Herschel estimated that it is made up of fourteen thousand stars. The average diameter of each of these components must be forty-five thousand two hundred and ninety-eight miles, and each star in this wonderful group may be separated from the next by a distance of nine thousand million miles.”

“According to the computations of M. Hermite, a French astronomer, the total number of stars visible to the naked eye of an observer of average visual power does not exceed 6000. The northern hemisphere contains 2478, and the southern hemisphere contains 3307 stars. In order to see this number of stars, the night must be moonless, the sky cloudless, and the atmosphere pure. The power of the naked eye is here stayed. By the aid of an opera glass 20,000 can be seen, and with a small telescope 150,000, while the most powerful telescopes will reveal more than 100,000,000 stars.”

“M. Ligner, an Austrian meteorologist, claims to have ascertained after careful investigation that the moon has an influence on a magnetized needle, varying with its phases and its declination. The phenomenon is said to be more prominently noticeable when the moon is near the earth, and to be very marked when she is passing from the full to her first or second quarter. The disturbances are found to be in their maximum when the moon is in the plane of the equator, and greater during the southern than it is during the northern declination.”

Geology Illustrated.—I have often thought that when coal mines are exhausted and land is too valuable to be devoted to raising timber, it may become necessary to draw on the subterranean heat of the earth. This idea is already verified in Hungary.Late advices say: “The earth’s internal heat is now being used in a practical way at Pesth, where the deepest artesian well in the world is being sunk to supply hot water for public baths and other purposes. A depth of 3120 feet has already been reached, and the well supplies daily 176,000 gallons of water, heated to °150 Fahr.”

Geology Illustrated.—I have often thought that when coal mines are exhausted and land is too valuable to be devoted to raising timber, it may become necessary to draw on the subterranean heat of the earth. This idea is already verified in Hungary.

Late advices say: “The earth’s internal heat is now being used in a practical way at Pesth, where the deepest artesian well in the world is being sunk to supply hot water for public baths and other purposes. A depth of 3120 feet has already been reached, and the well supplies daily 176,000 gallons of water, heated to °150 Fahr.”

A Mathematical Prodigy.—Reub Fields, living a few miles south of Higginsville, Mo., though he has no education whatever, and does not know a single figure or a letter of the alphabet, is a mathematical wonder. Though he never carries a watch, he can tell the time to a minute. When asked on what day of the week the 23d of November, 1861 came, he answered, “Saturday.” When asked, “From here to Louisiana, Mo. it is 159 miles; how many revolutions does the driving wheel of an engine fifteen feet in circumference make in a run from this place to Louisiana?” he replied, “55938 revolutions.” Reub was born in Kentucky, and claims that this power was given to him from heaven when he was eight years old, and that the Lord made but one Samson, one Solomon, and one Reub Fields, for strength, wisdom, and mathematics.

A Mathematical Prodigy.—Reub Fields, living a few miles south of Higginsville, Mo., though he has no education whatever, and does not know a single figure or a letter of the alphabet, is a mathematical wonder. Though he never carries a watch, he can tell the time to a minute. When asked on what day of the week the 23d of November, 1861 came, he answered, “Saturday.” When asked, “From here to Louisiana, Mo. it is 159 miles; how many revolutions does the driving wheel of an engine fifteen feet in circumference make in a run from this place to Louisiana?” he replied, “55938 revolutions.” Reub was born in Kentucky, and claims that this power was given to him from heaven when he was eight years old, and that the Lord made but one Samson, one Solomon, and one Reub Fields, for strength, wisdom, and mathematics.

Astrology in England.—Mrs. L. C. Moulton, correspondent of theBoston Herald, writes: “In old times a court astrologer used to be kept, as well as a court jester; but I confess I was not aware, until last night, that the astrologer of to-day might be as important to one’s movements as one’s doctor or one’s lawyer. One of the cleverest and busiest literary men in all London said to me last night that he thought the neglect of astrological counsel a great mistake. ‘I have looked into the subject rather deeply,’ he said, ‘and the more I search, the more convincing proof I find of the influence of the stars upon our lives; and now I never begin a new book, or take a journey, or, in short, do anything of any importance without consulting my astrologer.’ And then he went on to tell me the year in which the cholera devastated Naples he had thought of going there. Happily, he consulted his astrologer and was warned against it. In accordance with the astrologer’s advice, he gave up the journey; and just about the time he would otherwise have gone, news came of the cholera visitation. Last year he was warned against a certain journey—told that if he took it he would be ill. For once he defied the stars, and, in consequence, he was taken seriously ill with the very symptoms the astrologer had predicted. But, alas, his astrologer is fat and old—and what shipwreck may not my friend make of his life when the stars have reclaimed their prophet, and the poor fellow has to struggle on uncounselled!”

Astrology in England.—Mrs. L. C. Moulton, correspondent of theBoston Herald, writes: “In old times a court astrologer used to be kept, as well as a court jester; but I confess I was not aware, until last night, that the astrologer of to-day might be as important to one’s movements as one’s doctor or one’s lawyer. One of the cleverest and busiest literary men in all London said to me last night that he thought the neglect of astrological counsel a great mistake. ‘I have looked into the subject rather deeply,’ he said, ‘and the more I search, the more convincing proof I find of the influence of the stars upon our lives; and now I never begin a new book, or take a journey, or, in short, do anything of any importance without consulting my astrologer.’ And then he went on to tell me the year in which the cholera devastated Naples he had thought of going there. Happily, he consulted his astrologer and was warned against it. In accordance with the astrologer’s advice, he gave up the journey; and just about the time he would otherwise have gone, news came of the cholera visitation. Last year he was warned against a certain journey—told that if he took it he would be ill. For once he defied the stars, and, in consequence, he was taken seriously ill with the very symptoms the astrologer had predicted. But, alas, his astrologer is fat and old—and what shipwreck may not my friend make of his life when the stars have reclaimed their prophet, and the poor fellow has to struggle on uncounselled!”

Primogeniture Abolished.—“By a majority of eleven the House of Lords has abolished primogeniture in cases of intestacy. Thus, unless it is formally specified by will, property will henceforth be divided equally among heirs, as in this country. No longer will the eldest son, by the mere fact of the death of his father, come into possession of the estate to the exclusion of his brothers and sisters. Of course, entailed estates will not be affected, and property can be transmitted by will at the testator’s pleasure, but the notable point is that primogeniture cannot henceforth be looked upon as an institution so characteristic and time-honored that departure from it would be a really questionable proceeding.”

Primogeniture Abolished.—“By a majority of eleven the House of Lords has abolished primogeniture in cases of intestacy. Thus, unless it is formally specified by will, property will henceforth be divided equally among heirs, as in this country. No longer will the eldest son, by the mere fact of the death of his father, come into possession of the estate to the exclusion of his brothers and sisters. Of course, entailed estates will not be affected, and property can be transmitted by will at the testator’s pleasure, but the notable point is that primogeniture cannot henceforth be looked upon as an institution so characteristic and time-honored that departure from it would be a really questionable proceeding.”

Medical Intolerance and Cunning.—The proscriptive medical law of Iowa does not seem to be very effective, as it is believed to be unconstitutional, and its friends have been challenged to make test cases, but have not yet begun to enforce it. In Illinois they have a law that is imperative enough against practitioners without diplomas; but as this did not reach those who used no medicines, they have succeeded in procuring a law to reach them also by a new definition of “practicing medicine,” which the new statute says shall include all “who shall treat, operate on, or prescribe for any physical ailment of another.” This would seem sufficient to protect the M. D.’s against all competition, but there is some doubt whether such legislation can be enforced, as it is certainly a corrupt and selfish measure that was never desired by the people. TheReligio Philosophical Journalspeaks out manfully, and “advises all reputable healers of whatever school, to possess their souls in peace, and go steadily forward in their vocation, fearing neither Dr. Rauch nor the unconstitutional provisions of the statutes, under which he and his confederates seek to abridge and restrict the rights of the people. If any reputable practitioner of the healing art, who treats without drugs, is molested in his or her practice, let them invite prosecution, and communicate with theReligio Philosophical Journalfor further advice and assistance.” I regret to say there is a strong probability that the friends of medical freedom in Massachusetts will be again called upon to resist attempts to procure medical legislation.

Medical Intolerance and Cunning.—The proscriptive medical law of Iowa does not seem to be very effective, as it is believed to be unconstitutional, and its friends have been challenged to make test cases, but have not yet begun to enforce it. In Illinois they have a law that is imperative enough against practitioners without diplomas; but as this did not reach those who used no medicines, they have succeeded in procuring a law to reach them also by a new definition of “practicing medicine,” which the new statute says shall include all “who shall treat, operate on, or prescribe for any physical ailment of another.” This would seem sufficient to protect the M. D.’s against all competition, but there is some doubt whether such legislation can be enforced, as it is certainly a corrupt and selfish measure that was never desired by the people. TheReligio Philosophical Journalspeaks out manfully, and “advises all reputable healers of whatever school, to possess their souls in peace, and go steadily forward in their vocation, fearing neither Dr. Rauch nor the unconstitutional provisions of the statutes, under which he and his confederates seek to abridge and restrict the rights of the people. If any reputable practitioner of the healing art, who treats without drugs, is molested in his or her practice, let them invite prosecution, and communicate with theReligio Philosophical Journalfor further advice and assistance.” I regret to say there is a strong probability that the friends of medical freedom in Massachusetts will be again called upon to resist attempts to procure medical legislation.

Negro Turning White.—A colored man named Antone Metoyer has been employed at the railroad works in this city (Sacramento) for some time, and his steadiness and industry have caused him to be esteemed by those acquainted with him. Seven or eight months ago his skin was black, but it commenced to turn white, and now his body, arms, legs and neck are as white as those of any Caucasian. The original color is now only upon his face, extending back of the ears, just beneath the chin, and across the upper portion of the forehead, making him appear to be wearing a close-fitting black or dark brown mask. On the chin and nose the dark color is beginning to wear away, and he thinks in a few weeks he will be perfectly white. His hair and whiskers are black and curly. Medical men have taken much interest in his case, and attribute the change in complexion to the effect upon his system of working constantly with potash and other material used in washing greasy waste. He has been advised that it may be dangerous for him to continue under this influence, but he declares that he will stay until the process he is undergoing is completed, if it kills him.—Record Union.

Negro Turning White.—A colored man named Antone Metoyer has been employed at the railroad works in this city (Sacramento) for some time, and his steadiness and industry have caused him to be esteemed by those acquainted with him. Seven or eight months ago his skin was black, but it commenced to turn white, and now his body, arms, legs and neck are as white as those of any Caucasian. The original color is now only upon his face, extending back of the ears, just beneath the chin, and across the upper portion of the forehead, making him appear to be wearing a close-fitting black or dark brown mask. On the chin and nose the dark color is beginning to wear away, and he thinks in a few weeks he will be perfectly white. His hair and whiskers are black and curly. Medical men have taken much interest in his case, and attribute the change in complexion to the effect upon his system of working constantly with potash and other material used in washing greasy waste. He has been advised that it may be dangerous for him to continue under this influence, but he declares that he will stay until the process he is undergoing is completed, if it kills him.—Record Union.

The Cure of Hydrophobia.—“The English committee appointed by the local government board in April, 1886, to inquire into Pasteur’s inoculation method for rabies, report that it may be deemed certain that M. Pasteur has discovered a method of protection from rabies comparable with that which vaccination affords against infection from smallpox.” As many think there is no protection at all, the question is not finally settled. It is only the stubborn ignorance of the medical profession which gives to Pasteur’s experiments their great celebrity and importance. Other methods have been far more successful than Pasteur’s. Xanthium, Scutellaria (Skull-cap), the vapor bath, and chloroform or nitrous oxide are more powerful and reliable than any morbid inoculation.

The Cure of Hydrophobia.—“The English committee appointed by the local government board in April, 1886, to inquire into Pasteur’s inoculation method for rabies, report that it may be deemed certain that M. Pasteur has discovered a method of protection from rabies comparable with that which vaccination affords against infection from smallpox.” As many think there is no protection at all, the question is not finally settled. It is only the stubborn ignorance of the medical profession which gives to Pasteur’s experiments their great celebrity and importance. Other methods have been far more successful than Pasteur’s. Xanthium, Scutellaria (Skull-cap), the vapor bath, and chloroform or nitrous oxide are more powerful and reliable than any morbid inoculation.

John Swinton’spaper, at New York, has come to an end. Swinton was a bold, eloquent, and fearless advocate of human rights as he understood them. His failure is an honor to him, and his name will be remembered. Perhaps if he had imitated the Boston dailies, by giving ten to eighteen columns to the record of base ball games, he might have put money in his purse, instead of losing it.In marked contrast to John Swinton’s failure, observe the success of theNew York Tribune, a newspaper founded by Horace Greeley, but which, since his death, has given, in its unscrupulous course, a good illustration of the Satanic press. TheBoston Heraldsays: “TheNew York Tribuneis perhaps as good an illustration of the old-fashioned partisan journal as there is in the country. There was an amusing reminiscence of the methods that used to be practised when theTribunewas found claiming the Legislature of Kentucky as having been carried by the Republicans in the late elections. The fact was that the Democratic majority in that body was about five to one, and there was really no excuse in a metropolitan journal for not knowing such to be the case.” TheTribuneonce complimented highly theJournal of Man, but that was when Horace Greeley was alive.

John Swinton’spaper, at New York, has come to an end. Swinton was a bold, eloquent, and fearless advocate of human rights as he understood them. His failure is an honor to him, and his name will be remembered. Perhaps if he had imitated the Boston dailies, by giving ten to eighteen columns to the record of base ball games, he might have put money in his purse, instead of losing it.

In marked contrast to John Swinton’s failure, observe the success of theNew York Tribune, a newspaper founded by Horace Greeley, but which, since his death, has given, in its unscrupulous course, a good illustration of the Satanic press. TheBoston Heraldsays: “TheNew York Tribuneis perhaps as good an illustration of the old-fashioned partisan journal as there is in the country. There was an amusing reminiscence of the methods that used to be practised when theTribunewas found claiming the Legislature of Kentucky as having been carried by the Republicans in the late elections. The fact was that the Democratic majority in that body was about five to one, and there was really no excuse in a metropolitan journal for not knowing such to be the case.” TheTribuneonce complimented highly theJournal of Man, but that was when Horace Greeley was alive.

Women’s Rights and Progress.—The last legislature of Pennsylvania passed a very radical law, providing that marriage shall not impose any disability as to the acquisition or management of any kind of property, making any contracts, or engaging in any business. However, she is not authorized to mortgage her real estate without her husband’s co-operation, nor become endorser for another alone. As to making a will she has the same rights as a man.Ohio has also advanced woman’s rights by enabling both husband and wife to dispose of property as if unmarried, and by giving each party one-third life interest in the other’s real estate.In Kansas, women can vote in city and town affairs, and hold municipal and town offices. In one town they have a female mayor. The supreme court of Kansas has decided that when a woman marries she need not take her husband’s name unless she chooses.

Women’s Rights and Progress.—The last legislature of Pennsylvania passed a very radical law, providing that marriage shall not impose any disability as to the acquisition or management of any kind of property, making any contracts, or engaging in any business. However, she is not authorized to mortgage her real estate without her husband’s co-operation, nor become endorser for another alone. As to making a will she has the same rights as a man.

Ohio has also advanced woman’s rights by enabling both husband and wife to dispose of property as if unmarried, and by giving each party one-third life interest in the other’s real estate.

In Kansas, women can vote in city and town affairs, and hold municipal and town offices. In one town they have a female mayor. The supreme court of Kansas has decided that when a woman marries she need not take her husband’s name unless she chooses.

Co-Educationis successful, nearly every prominent college is beginning to admit women, and they often carry off the prizes from the men. Exclusive masculine colleges will soon rank among the barbarisms of the past.Female education is advancing in Russia. The universities had 779 female students in 1886, 437 of whom were daughters of noblemen and official personages. On the other hand the Prussian Minister of Education refuses to admit women as regular students at any university or medical school.Several Italian ladies have distinguished themselves in legal knowledge, and the propriety of their admission to the bar is extensively discussed. About nine-tenths of the newspapers favor their admission.The practical question, which is most important to the welfare of women, is profitable employment. Miss Simcox says that there are about three millions of women in England engaged in industrial employments, while a large proportion of them, especially in London, have such poor wages as to produce continual suffering.Industrial Education, alike for boys and girls, is the true remedy, worth more than all the nostrums of politicians and demagogues.

Co-Educationis successful, nearly every prominent college is beginning to admit women, and they often carry off the prizes from the men. Exclusive masculine colleges will soon rank among the barbarisms of the past.

Female education is advancing in Russia. The universities had 779 female students in 1886, 437 of whom were daughters of noblemen and official personages. On the other hand the Prussian Minister of Education refuses to admit women as regular students at any university or medical school.

Several Italian ladies have distinguished themselves in legal knowledge, and the propriety of their admission to the bar is extensively discussed. About nine-tenths of the newspapers favor their admission.

The practical question, which is most important to the welfare of women, is profitable employment. Miss Simcox says that there are about three millions of women in England engaged in industrial employments, while a large proportion of them, especially in London, have such poor wages as to produce continual suffering.Industrial Education, alike for boys and girls, is the true remedy, worth more than all the nostrums of politicians and demagogues.

Spirit Writing.—Our handsome young friend, Dr. D. J. Stansbury, a graduate of the Eclectic Medical College of New York, is giving astonishing demonstrations on the Pacific coast. When a pair of closed slates is brought, he barely touches them, and the spirit writing begins. Sometimes the slates are held on the head or shoulders of the visitor. At one of his seances at Oakland, it is said that he held the slates for thirty-five persons within two hours, and obtained for each a slate full of writing in answers to questions placed between the slates. At a public seance in Santa Cruz, following a lecture, folded ballots were sent up by the audience and the answers were sometimes written on closed slates and sometimes by the doctor’s hands. Dr. S. has also succeeded in repeating the famous performance of Charles Foster—the names of spirits appearing on his arm in blood-red letters.

Spirit Writing.—Our handsome young friend, Dr. D. J. Stansbury, a graduate of the Eclectic Medical College of New York, is giving astonishing demonstrations on the Pacific coast. When a pair of closed slates is brought, he barely touches them, and the spirit writing begins. Sometimes the slates are held on the head or shoulders of the visitor. At one of his seances at Oakland, it is said that he held the slates for thirty-five persons within two hours, and obtained for each a slate full of writing in answers to questions placed between the slates. At a public seance in Santa Cruz, following a lecture, folded ballots were sent up by the audience and the answers were sometimes written on closed slates and sometimes by the doctor’s hands. Dr. S. has also succeeded in repeating the famous performance of Charles Foster—the names of spirits appearing on his arm in blood-red letters.

Progress of the Marvellous.—TheBoston Heraldof Aug. 7 has a long account of the marvellous fires which occur in the house at Woodstock, New Brunswick, of Mr. Reginald C. Hoyt. The people of the town are greatly excited about it, and great crowds gather to witness it, but no one can explain it. The fires break out with no possible cause in the clothes, the carpet, the curtains, bed quilts, or other objects, as much as forty times in a day. The family are greatly worried and alarmed, and have been driven out of the house. TheHeraldreporter went to examine, but found it an entire mystery.A similar outbreak of fires has been reported in Pennsylvania, at the house of Thomas McKee, a farmer at Turtle Creek. For some weeks the invisible powers have been throwing things about in a topsy turvey way. Since that, flames break out suddenly in the presence of the family, and round holes are burned in the bed-clothes, towels, hats, dresses, and even packages of groceries in the pantry.

Progress of the Marvellous.—TheBoston Heraldof Aug. 7 has a long account of the marvellous fires which occur in the house at Woodstock, New Brunswick, of Mr. Reginald C. Hoyt. The people of the town are greatly excited about it, and great crowds gather to witness it, but no one can explain it. The fires break out with no possible cause in the clothes, the carpet, the curtains, bed quilts, or other objects, as much as forty times in a day. The family are greatly worried and alarmed, and have been driven out of the house. TheHeraldreporter went to examine, but found it an entire mystery.

A similar outbreak of fires has been reported in Pennsylvania, at the house of Thomas McKee, a farmer at Turtle Creek. For some weeks the invisible powers have been throwing things about in a topsy turvey way. Since that, flames break out suddenly in the presence of the family, and round holes are burned in the bed-clothes, towels, hats, dresses, and even packages of groceries in the pantry.

PRACTICAL UTILITY OF ANTHROPOLOGY.(Continued frompage 32.)There is no great reform, no elevation of humanity without understanding MAN,—the laws of his culture, the possibilities within his reach, the extent of the short-comings which exist to-day, the very numerous agencies of brain-building and soul-culture, the wiser methods of the school, the magnetic influences which are sometimes all potent, the dietary, the exercises of body and voice, the power of music and disciplined example, the lofty outreachings for a higher life to which we are introduced by psychometry, the supernal and divine influences which may be brought to bear, and many nameless things which help to make the aggregate omnipotent over young life, but which, alas, are unknown in colleges to-day, and will continue unknown until Anthropology shall have taken its place as the guide of humanity.P.S.—The doctrine so firmly maintained in this chapter that men are incompetent to judge themselves, and need a scientific monitor of unquestionable authority, has long been recognized. The Catholic confessional is a recognition and application of the principles of great value. But the confessional of the narrow-minded and miseducated priest should be superseded by the confessional and the admonition of Anthropology.Sterne, in his Tristam Shandy, says, “Whenever a man’s conscience does accuse him (as it seldom errs on that side), he is guilty, and unless he is melancholy and hypochondriac, there is always sufficient ground for the accusation. But the converse of the proposition will not hold true,” that if it does not accuse, the man is innocent.“Thus conscience, placed on high as a judge within us, and intended by our Maker as a just and equitable one too, takes often such imperfect cognizance of what passes, does its office so negligently, often so corruptly, that it is not to be trusted alone, and, therefore, we find there is a necessity, an absolute necessity, of joining another principle with it.”That “other principle” demanded by Sterne has never been found, until, in the revelation of the functions of soul and brain, we have found the absolute standard of character, and in Cranioscopy and Psychometry the perfect method of applying the principle to each individual.An amusing illustration occurred lately in England, which was published as follows:—“When the address to the queen at the opening of the English royal courts was under consideration by the judges, one very eminent judge of appeal objected to the phrase ‘conscious as we are of our shortcomings.’ ‘I am not conscious of shortcomings,’ he said, ‘and if I were I should not be so foolish as to say so;’ whereupon a learned lord justice blandly observed, ‘Suppose we say, “conscious as we are of each other’s shortcomings.”’”

(Continued frompage 32.)

There is no great reform, no elevation of humanity without understanding MAN,—the laws of his culture, the possibilities within his reach, the extent of the short-comings which exist to-day, the very numerous agencies of brain-building and soul-culture, the wiser methods of the school, the magnetic influences which are sometimes all potent, the dietary, the exercises of body and voice, the power of music and disciplined example, the lofty outreachings for a higher life to which we are introduced by psychometry, the supernal and divine influences which may be brought to bear, and many nameless things which help to make the aggregate omnipotent over young life, but which, alas, are unknown in colleges to-day, and will continue unknown until Anthropology shall have taken its place as the guide of humanity.

P.S.—The doctrine so firmly maintained in this chapter that men are incompetent to judge themselves, and need a scientific monitor of unquestionable authority, has long been recognized. The Catholic confessional is a recognition and application of the principles of great value. But the confessional of the narrow-minded and miseducated priest should be superseded by the confessional and the admonition of Anthropology.

Sterne, in his Tristam Shandy, says, “Whenever a man’s conscience does accuse him (as it seldom errs on that side), he is guilty, and unless he is melancholy and hypochondriac, there is always sufficient ground for the accusation. But the converse of the proposition will not hold true,” that if it does not accuse, the man is innocent.

“Thus conscience, placed on high as a judge within us, and intended by our Maker as a just and equitable one too, takes often such imperfect cognizance of what passes, does its office so negligently, often so corruptly, that it is not to be trusted alone, and, therefore, we find there is a necessity, an absolute necessity, of joining another principle with it.”

That “other principle” demanded by Sterne has never been found, until, in the revelation of the functions of soul and brain, we have found the absolute standard of character, and in Cranioscopy and Psychometry the perfect method of applying the principle to each individual.

An amusing illustration occurred lately in England, which was published as follows:—

“When the address to the queen at the opening of the English royal courts was under consideration by the judges, one very eminent judge of appeal objected to the phrase ‘conscious as we are of our shortcomings.’ ‘I am not conscious of shortcomings,’ he said, ‘and if I were I should not be so foolish as to say so;’ whereupon a learned lord justice blandly observed, ‘Suppose we say, “conscious as we are of each other’s shortcomings.”’”

“When the address to the queen at the opening of the English royal courts was under consideration by the judges, one very eminent judge of appeal objected to the phrase ‘conscious as we are of our shortcomings.’ ‘I am not conscious of shortcomings,’ he said, ‘and if I were I should not be so foolish as to say so;’ whereupon a learned lord justice blandly observed, ‘Suppose we say, “conscious as we are of each other’s shortcomings.”’”

Chapter VIII—The Origin and Foundation of the New AnthropologyDifficulties of imperfect knowledge in my first studies—First investigation of Phrenology—Errors detected and corrected—ThePathognomic Systemorganized—A brilliant discovery and its results—Discovery of the sense of feeling and development of Psychometry—Its vast importance and numerous applications—The first experiments on the brain and the publication of Anthropology—The discovery of Sarcognomy and its practical value—Reception of the new Sciences—Honorable action of the venerable Caldwell.The very brief exposition of the structure and functions of the brain already given, may serve as an introduction to the subject and prepare the reader to appreciate the laborious investigations of many years, by means of which so comprehensive a science was brought into existence amid the hostile influences of established opinions and established ignorance.It is necessary now to present this statement to enable the reader to realize more fully the positive character of the science.My life has been devoted to the study of man, his destiny and his happiness. Uncontrolled in education, I learned to endure no mental restraint, and, thrown upon my own resources in boyhood, difficulties but strengthened the passion for philosophical knowledge. Yet more formidable difficulties were found in the limited condition of human science, alike in libraries and colleges.Anthropology, my favorite study, had no systematic development, and the very word was unfamiliar, because there was really nothing to which it could justly be applied. Its elementary sciences were in an undeveloped state, and some of them not yet in existence. Mental philosophy was very limited in its scope, and had little or nothing of a practical and scientific nature. The soul was not recognised as a subject for science. The body was studied apart from the soul, and the brain, the home of the soul, was enveloped in mystery—so as to leave even physiological science shrouded in darkness, as the central and controlling organ of life was considered an inaccessible mystery. In studying medicine, it seemed that I wandered through a wilderness without a compass and with no cardinal points.Phrenology promised much, and I examined it cautiously. It struck me at first as an unsatisfactory system of mental philosophy, and I stated my objections before its most celebrated and venerable champion, in public, who assured me that I would be satisfied by further investigation. As it seemed a very interesting department of natural science, I began by comparing the heads of my acquaintances with the phrenological map, and discovering so many striking coincidences that I was gradually satisfied as to its substantial truth, and I do not believe that any one has ever thus tested the discoveries of Gall and Spurzheim, without perceiving theirgeneralcorrectness,while many, with less critical observation, have accepted them as absolutely true.My interest increased with the extent of my observations, until, for several years, I abandoned practical medicine for the exclusive study of the science of the brain in the great volume of nature, with the doctrines of Gall as the basis of the investigation. As it was my purpose to seek the deficiencies as well as the merits of the new science, I tested its accuracy by the careful examination of living heads and skulls in comparison with ascertained character, and with the anatomy of the brain, not forgetting the self-evident principles of mental philosophy. Many thousand critical examinations were made between the years 1834 and 1841, leading to many positive conclusions. The first year’s observations made me distinctly aware and certain of several defects in the doctrines, as to the functions ascribed to certain localities of the brain to which were ascribed, Mirthfulness, Acquisitiveness, Adhesiveness, Constructiveness, Tune, Ideality, Combativeness, Destructiveness, and Cautiousness. The functions of these localities were evidently misunderstood, and the faculties erroneously located.The external senses were omitted from the catalogue of cerebral organs, though evidently entitled to recognition, and the physiological powers of the brain, the prime mover and most important part of the constitution, were almost totally ignored.Following the old route of exploration by cranioscopy, I sought to supply these defects. I found the supposed Mirthfulness to be a planning and reasoning organ, and the true Mirthfulness to be located more interiorly. Acquisitiveness was evidently located farther back. The so-called organ of Adhesiveness appeared to be incapable of manifesting true friendship, and its absence was frequently accompanied by strong capacities for friendship, of a disinterested character. Constructiveness appeared to be located too low, and too far back, running into the middle lobe, which is not the place for intellect. Tune did not appear to correspond regularly to musical talent. Many of the higher functions ascribed to Ideality were conspicuous in heads which had that organ small, with a large development just above it. Combativeness had evidently less influence upon physical courage than was supposed, for it was sometimes well developed in cowards, and rather small in brave men. Cautiousness was evidently not the organ of fear, for the bravest men, of whom I met many in the southwest, sometimes had it in predominant development, and in the timid it was sometimes moderate, or small. Destructiveness was frequently a characteristic of narrow heads (indeed this is the case with the Thugs of India), and a broad development above the ears was sometimes accompanied by a mild disposition. The height of the head above the ears did not prove a correct criterion of moral character, nor did the breadth indicate correctly the amount of the selfish and violent passions.I observed that the violent and selfish elements of character were connected with occipital depth, and elongation; that the affections were connected with the coronal region, that the sense of vision waslocated in the brow, and the sense of feeling in the temples, near the cheekbone, that the upper occipital region was the seat of energetic powers, and the lower, of violent or criminal impulses, and that the whole cerebrum was an apparatus of mingling convolutions, in which the functions, gradually changing from point to point, presented throughout a beautiful blending and connection.Observing daily the comparative development of brain and body, with their reciprocal influence, I traced the outlines of cerebral physiology, and the laws of sympathetic connection or correspondence between the body and the encephalon, by which, in a given constitution, I would determine from the head the development of the whole body, the peculiar distributions of the circulation, with the consequent morbid tendencies, the relative perfection of the different senses and different organs of the body, and the character of the temperament.Seeking continually for the fundamental laws of Anthropology, criticising and rejecting all that appeared objectionable or inconsistent, I acquired possession of numerous sound and comprehensive principles concerning the fundamental laws of cerebral science, which were at once touchstones for truth and efficient instruments for further research.These fundamental laws, though very obvious and easily perceived when pointed out, had been overlooked by my predecessors, but are always accepted readily by my auditors, when fully explained. As new facts and principles led to the discovery of other facts and principles, a system of philosophy (not speculative, but scientific) was thus evolved, and a number of geometrical principles were established as the basis of the science of the brain, so evidently true, though so long overlooked, as to command the unanimous assent of all to whom they have been presented; and, as the acceptance of these principles involves the general acceptance of cerebral science, my labors as a teacher have ever been singularly harmonious, and free from doubt, antagonism, and contention.The fundamental principle of the philosophy was geometric or mathematical, as it examined the construction of the brain, and showed an exact mathematical relation between each organ of the brain and its effects on the body, in the spontaneous gestures, the circulation of blood, the nervous forces, and local functions. Its leading characteristic being the law of the expression of the vital forces and feelings in outward acts. This doctrine was called thePathognomic System.I was preparing to publish in several volumes the reorganized science as the Pathognomic System, when the consummation of my researches, by a brilliant discovery, led me into a new world of knowledge—to the full development of the science of Anthropology, according to which the brain gives organic expression to functions which are essentially located in the soul, and the body gives organic manifestation to functions which are controlled in the brain, while the body reacts upon the brain and the brain upon the soul. Thus, every element of humanity has a triple representation—thatin the soul, which is purely psychic, yet by its influence becomes physiological in the body; that in the body which is purely physiological, yet by its influence becomes psychic in the soul, and that in the brain which produces physiological effects in the body, and psychic effects in the soul.Thus, each of the three repositories of power is a psycho-physiological representation of the man; more physical in the body, more spiritual in the soul, but in the brain a more perfect psycho-physiological representation of man as he is in the present life. This full conception of the brain, which Gall did not attain, involved the new science ofCerebral Physiology, in which the brain may express the character of the body, as well as the soul, of which I would only say at present that my first observations were directed to ascertaining the cerebral seats of the external senses, vision, hearing and feeling, and the influences of different portions of the brain on different portions of the body.The location of the sense of feeling, of which I became absolutely certain in 1838, at the base of the middle lobe has since been substantially confirmed by Ferrier’s experiment on the monkey; but I have not been concerned about the results of vivisection, knowing that if I have made a true discovery, vivisection and pathology must necessarily confirm it; and I am not aware that any of my discoveries have been disturbed by the immense labors of vivisection.The discovery of the organ of the sense of feeling led to an investigation of its powers, and the phenomena exhibited when its development was unusually large—hence came the initial fact of psychometry. Early in 1841 I found a very large development of the organ, in the head of the late Bishop Polk, then at Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, who subsequently became a confederate general. After explaining to him his great sensibility to atmospheric, electric, and all other physical conditions, he mentioned a still more remarkable sensibility—that whenever he touched brass, he had immediately the taste of brass in his mouth, whether he knew what he was touching or not. I lost no time in verifying this observation by many experiments upon other persons, and finding that there were many in whom sensibility was developed to this extent, so that when I placed pieces of metal in their hands, behind their backs, they could tell what the metal was by its taste, or some other impression. Further examinations showed that substances of any kind, held in the hands of sensitives, yielded not only an impression upon the sense of taste, by which they might be recognized, but an impression upon the entire sensibility of the body. Medicines tried in this manner gave a distinct impression—as distinct as if they had been swallowed—to a majority of the members of a large medical class, in the leading medical school at Cincinnati, and to those who had superior psychometric capacities, the impression given in this manner enabled them to describe the qualities and effects of the medicines as fully and accurately as they are given in the works on materia medica.This method of investigation I consider not only vastly more easy and rapid than the method adopted by the followers of Hahnemann, but more accurate and efficient than any other method known to the medical profession, and destined, therefore, to produce a greater improvement in our knowledge of the materia medica than we can derive from all other methods combined, in the same length of time. I may hereafter publish the practical demonstration of this, but the vast amount of labor involved in my experimental researches has not yet permitted me to take up this department, although it has yielded me some very valuable discoveries.It may require a century for mankind fully to realize the value of Psychometry. It has been clearly, though I cannot say completely shown in the “Manual of Psychometry,” to which I would refer the reader. I would simply state that the scientific discovery and exposition of Psychometry is equivalent to the dawn of new intellectual civilization, since it enables us to advance rapidly toward perfection all sciences and forms of knowledge now known, and to introduce new sciences heretofore unknown.To theMedical Collegeit will give a method of accurate diagnosis which will supersede the blundering methods now existing—a method ofRAPIDLYenlarging and perfecting the materia medica—a method of exploring all difficult questions in Biology and Pathology, and a complete view of the constitution of man.To theUniversityit offers a method of revising and correcting history and biography—of enlarging our knowledge of Natural History, Geology, and Astronomy, and exploring Ethnology.To theChurchit offers a method of exploring the origins of all religions, the future life of man, and the relations of terrestrial and celestial life.To thePhilanthropistit offers the methods of investigating and supervising education and social organization which may abolish all existing evils.The foregoing were the initial steps and results in the development of Psychometry, simultaneously accompanied by those other discoveries in 1841, the scope and magnitude of which appear to me and to those who have studied my demonstrations, to be far more important than anything that has ever been discovered or done in Biological science, being nothing less than a complete scientific demonstration of the functions of the brain in all its psycho-physiological relations. To appreciate their transcendent importance, it is necessary only to know that the experiments have been carefully made, have often been repeated during the past forty-five years, and that all they demonstrate may also be demonstrated by other means, and fully established, if no such experiments could be made.The origin of this discovery was as follows. My advanced investigations of the brain, between 1835 and 1841, had added so much to the incomplete and inaccurate discoveries of Gall, and had brought cerebral science into so much closer and more accurate relation with cerebral anatomy and embryology, as illustrated by Tiedemann, that I became profoundly aware of the position in whichI found myself, as an explorer, possessed of knowledge previously quite unknown, and yet, at the same time, however true, not strictly demonstrable, since none could fully realize its truth without following the same path and studying with the same concentrated devotion the comparative development of the brain in men and animals. Such zeal, success, and assiduity I did not believe could be expected. There might not be one man in a century to undertake such a task (for all the centuries of civilization had produced but one such man—the illustrious Gall), and when he appeared his voice would not be decisive. I would, therefore, appear not as presenting positive knowledge, but as contributing another theory, which the medical profession, regardless of my labors, would treat as a mere hypothesis.1It was absolutely necessary that the functions of the brain should be demonstrated as positively as those of the spinal nerves had been demonstrated by Majendie and Bell. Two methods appeared possible. The two agents were galvanism and the aura of the nervous system, commonly called animal magnetism. My first experiments in 1841, satisfied me that both were available, but that thenervaurawas far more available, efficient, and satisfactory. Upon this I have relied ever since, though I sometimes experiment with galvanism, to demonstrate its efficiency, and Dr. De la Rua, of Cuba, informed me over twenty years ago that he found very delicate galvanic currents available for this purpose in his practice.Animal magnetism or mesmerism had been involved in mystery and empiricism. There had never been any scientific or anatomical explanation of the phenomena, and this mystery I desired to dispel. My first step was to ascertain that for experiments on the nervous system we did not need the somnambulic or hypnotic condition, and that it was especially to be avoided as a source of confusion and error. Whenever the organ of sensibility, or sensitiveness, was sufficiently developed and predominant, the conditions of neurological experiments for scientific purposes were satisfactory, and to make such experiments, the subjects, instead of being ignorant, passive, emotional, hysteric, or inclined to trance, should be as intelligent as possible, well-balanced and clear-headed,—competent to observe subjective phenomena in a critical manner. Hence, my experiments, which have been made upon all sorts of persons, were most decisive and satisfactory to myself when made upon well-educated physicians, upon medical professors, my learned colleagues, upon eminent lawyers or divines, upon strong-minded farmers or hunters, entirely unacquainted with such subjects, and incapable of psychological delusion, or upon persons of very skeptical minds who would not admit anything until the phenomena were made very plain and unquestionable.While the nervaura of the human constitution (which is asdistinctly perceptible to the sensitive as its caloric and electricity) is emitted from every portion of the surface of the head and body, the quality and quantity of that which is emitted from the inner surface of the hand, render it most available, and the application of the hand of any one who has a respectable amount of vital and mental energy, will produce a distinct local stimulation of functions wherever it may be applied upon the head or body. In this manner it is easy to demonstrate the amiable and pleasing influence of the superior regions of the brain, the more energetic and vitalizing influence of its posterior half, and the mild, subduing influence of the front.In my first experiments, in the spring of 1841, I found so great susceptibility that I could demonstrate promptly even the smallest organs of the brain, and it was gratifying to find that the illustrious Gall had ascertained, with so marvellous accuracy the functions of the smallest organs in the front lobe, and the subject could be engrossed in the thought of numbers and counting by touching the organ of number or calculation. Eagerly did I proceed in testing the accuracy of all the discoveries of Gall and the additions I had made by craniological studies, as well as bringing out new functions which I had not been able to anticipate or discover. Omitting the history of those experiments, I would but briefly state that in 1842 I published a complete map of the brain, in which the full development of human faculties made a complete picture of the psycho-physiological constitution of man, and thus presented for the first time a science which might justly be calledAnthropology.2It is obvious that prior to 1842 there was nothing entitled to the name ofAnthropology, as there was no complete geography before the discovery of America and circumnavigation of the globe. When man is fully portrayed by the statement of all the psychic and all the physiological faculties and functions found in his brain, which contains the totality, and manifests them in the soul and body, it is obvious that we have a true Anthropology, which, to complete its fulness, requires only the study of the soul as an entity distinct from the brain, and of the body as an anatomical and physiological apparatus. The latter had already been well accomplished by the medical profession, and the former very imperfectly by spiritual psychologists. But neither the physiology, nor the pneumatology had been placed in organic connection with the central cerebral science.In consummating such tasks, I felt justified, in 1842, in adopting the word Anthropology, as the representative of the new science, though at that time it was so unfamiliar as to be misunderstood. This science, as presented in my Outlines of Anthropology in 1854, embraced another very important and entirely novel discovery—the psycho-physiological relations of the surface of the body, the manner in which every portion of the body responds to the brain and thesoul, the final solution of the great and hitherto impenetrable mystery of the triune relations of soul, brain, and body. This discovery, constituting the science of Sarcognomy, became the basis of a new medical philosophy, explaining the influence of the body on the soul, in health, and disease, and the reciprocal influence of the soul on the body.This manifestly modified our views of therapeutics and revolutionized electro-therapeutics by pointing out the exact physiological and psychic effects of every portion of the surface of the body, when subject to local treatment, and hence, originating new methods of electric practice, in which many results were produced not heretofore deemed possible. All this was fully presented in my work onTherapeutic Sarcognomy, published in 1885, which was speedily sold.In contemplating these immense results of a successful investigation of the functions of the brain, I can see no logical escape from the conclusion that such a revelation of the functions of the brain is by far the most important event that belongs to the history of vital science—an event so romantically different from the common, slow progress of science when cultivated by men of ability, that I do not wonder at the incredulity which naturally opposes its recognition, and seems to render the most unanimous and conclusive testimony from honorable scientists apparently ineffective. The support of the medical college in which I was Dean of the Faculty, the hearty endorsement by the Faculty of Indiana State University, and by numerous committees of investigation, seem to count as nothing with the conservative portion of the medical profession, who have ever understood how to ignore so simple and positive a demonstration as that of Harvey, or so practical a demonstration as that of Hahnemann, or so irresistible a mass of facts as those of modern psychic science.The question will naturally arise among the enlightened lovers of truth, why so grand and sodemonstrablea science should for forty-five years have made so little progress toward general recognition. It is sufficient to say that new and revolutionary truth is never welcomed, and, if the discoverer is not active as a propagandist it has no diffusion. I did not feel that there was any receptiveness across the ocean for what was resisted here. Nevertheless I did prepare and send to Edinburgh, in 1841, a brief report of my discoveries accompanied by an endorsement or introduction from the venerable Prof. Caldwell, the founder of the successful medical college at Louisville, whose lectures were attended by four hundred pupils. I supposed the gentlemen of the Phrenological Society at Edinburgh the most liberal parties in Great Britain, but they declined publishing my memoir astoo marvellous, and proposed merely to file it away as a caveat of the discovery. That ended all thoughts of Europe; and, indeed, it seemed to me premature to urge such a discovery and so grand a philosophy upon the world in the present state of its intellectual civilization. I ceased to agitate the subject for many years, and allowed myself to be drawn into thepolitical agitations connected with our civil war, to mitigate some of its social and political evils.Of late, however, an urgent and imperative sense of duty has put my pen in motion as the remnant of my life will be hardly sufficient to record the results of my investigations.In the “New Education” and the “Manual of Psychometry—the dawn of a new civilization”—I have appealed to the public, and three editions of the former with two of the latter show that the public is not indifferent. The recognition of the marvellous claims of Psychometry will prepare the way for the supreme science of Anthropology, to which the coming century will do justice.In justice to the learned Prof. Caldwell and myself, I should not omit to mention that this distinguished, eloquent, and venerable gentleman, who, in his early life, was a cotemporary of the famous Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, and throughout his life was a champion of the most progressive doctrines in Biology, not only gave his friendly co-operation on the first presentation of my discoveries, but ten years later honored me with a visit at Cincinnati, to become more fully acquainted with them, and subsequently, by appointment of the National Medical Association, prepared a report upon subjects of a kindred nature, in which he incorporated a statement of my discoveries. His subsequent illness and death, in 1854, at an advanced age, prevented the delivery of this memoir.In signal contrast to the honorable and candid course of Prof.Caldwell, and to the candid examination, followed by eulogistic language of Prof.H. P. Gatchell,Robert Dale Owen, PresidentAndrew Wylie, Rev.John Pierpont, Dr.SamuelForry, Prof.Wm. Denton, the eloquent JudgeRowan, and a score of other eminently intellectual men, it is my duty to record the melancholy fact that the great majority of professional men, when tested, have manifested an entire apathy, if not a positive aversion, to the investigations and discoveries in which these momentous results have been reached. While no aversion, disrespect, or suspicion was shown toward myself, a stubborn aversion was shown to investigations that might have revolutionary results—proving that our false systems of education teach men not to think independently, but to adhere closely to precedent authority, fashion, popularity, andhabit, which is the inertia of the mental world.The faculty of my alma mater (excepting Prof. Caldwell) refused to investigate the subject, even when invited by their Board of Trustees. The Boston Academy of Arts and Sciences, embracing the men at the head of the medical profession, pretended to take up the subject, but in a few hours dropped it, with polite compliments to myself, in 1842. The American Medical Association, in 1878, refused to entertain the subject because I could not coincide with them in my sentiments, and accept their code of bigotry. There was no formal action of the Association, but my friend, Prof. Gross, then recognized as the Nestor of the profession, and holding the highest position of authority, informed me semi-officially, very courteously, that none of my discoveries could ever be brought to the notice of the Association, because I did not accept their code. Thus (without mentioning other instances), I have stood before the public with ademonstrablescience, challenging investigation by critical opponents, who have so uniformly evaded or shrunk from the test that I have ceased to care for their opinions, while I still entertain as profound a respect as ever for the investigations of the candid and manly, among whom I never fail to find friendship and cordiality.Looking back forty-five years, I remember with extreme pleasure the friendly co-operation ofRowanandCaldwell. The American medical profession never had a more dignified, imposing, and high-toned representative than Prof. Caldwell. Nor was the legal profession anywhere ever adorned by a more commanding and gracious representative than the unsurpassed advocate,Rowan, who was widely known as the “Old Monarch.” The nobility of such men was shown in their noble bearing toward a dawning science, In which they saw the grandeur of the future.

Difficulties of imperfect knowledge in my first studies—First investigation of Phrenology—Errors detected and corrected—ThePathognomic Systemorganized—A brilliant discovery and its results—Discovery of the sense of feeling and development of Psychometry—Its vast importance and numerous applications—The first experiments on the brain and the publication of Anthropology—The discovery of Sarcognomy and its practical value—Reception of the new Sciences—Honorable action of the venerable Caldwell.

The very brief exposition of the structure and functions of the brain already given, may serve as an introduction to the subject and prepare the reader to appreciate the laborious investigations of many years, by means of which so comprehensive a science was brought into existence amid the hostile influences of established opinions and established ignorance.

It is necessary now to present this statement to enable the reader to realize more fully the positive character of the science.

My life has been devoted to the study of man, his destiny and his happiness. Uncontrolled in education, I learned to endure no mental restraint, and, thrown upon my own resources in boyhood, difficulties but strengthened the passion for philosophical knowledge. Yet more formidable difficulties were found in the limited condition of human science, alike in libraries and colleges.

Anthropology, my favorite study, had no systematic development, and the very word was unfamiliar, because there was really nothing to which it could justly be applied. Its elementary sciences were in an undeveloped state, and some of them not yet in existence. Mental philosophy was very limited in its scope, and had little or nothing of a practical and scientific nature. The soul was not recognised as a subject for science. The body was studied apart from the soul, and the brain, the home of the soul, was enveloped in mystery—so as to leave even physiological science shrouded in darkness, as the central and controlling organ of life was considered an inaccessible mystery. In studying medicine, it seemed that I wandered through a wilderness without a compass and with no cardinal points.

Phrenology promised much, and I examined it cautiously. It struck me at first as an unsatisfactory system of mental philosophy, and I stated my objections before its most celebrated and venerable champion, in public, who assured me that I would be satisfied by further investigation. As it seemed a very interesting department of natural science, I began by comparing the heads of my acquaintances with the phrenological map, and discovering so many striking coincidences that I was gradually satisfied as to its substantial truth, and I do not believe that any one has ever thus tested the discoveries of Gall and Spurzheim, without perceiving theirgeneralcorrectness,while many, with less critical observation, have accepted them as absolutely true.

My interest increased with the extent of my observations, until, for several years, I abandoned practical medicine for the exclusive study of the science of the brain in the great volume of nature, with the doctrines of Gall as the basis of the investigation. As it was my purpose to seek the deficiencies as well as the merits of the new science, I tested its accuracy by the careful examination of living heads and skulls in comparison with ascertained character, and with the anatomy of the brain, not forgetting the self-evident principles of mental philosophy. Many thousand critical examinations were made between the years 1834 and 1841, leading to many positive conclusions. The first year’s observations made me distinctly aware and certain of several defects in the doctrines, as to the functions ascribed to certain localities of the brain to which were ascribed, Mirthfulness, Acquisitiveness, Adhesiveness, Constructiveness, Tune, Ideality, Combativeness, Destructiveness, and Cautiousness. The functions of these localities were evidently misunderstood, and the faculties erroneously located.

The external senses were omitted from the catalogue of cerebral organs, though evidently entitled to recognition, and the physiological powers of the brain, the prime mover and most important part of the constitution, were almost totally ignored.

Following the old route of exploration by cranioscopy, I sought to supply these defects. I found the supposed Mirthfulness to be a planning and reasoning organ, and the true Mirthfulness to be located more interiorly. Acquisitiveness was evidently located farther back. The so-called organ of Adhesiveness appeared to be incapable of manifesting true friendship, and its absence was frequently accompanied by strong capacities for friendship, of a disinterested character. Constructiveness appeared to be located too low, and too far back, running into the middle lobe, which is not the place for intellect. Tune did not appear to correspond regularly to musical talent. Many of the higher functions ascribed to Ideality were conspicuous in heads which had that organ small, with a large development just above it. Combativeness had evidently less influence upon physical courage than was supposed, for it was sometimes well developed in cowards, and rather small in brave men. Cautiousness was evidently not the organ of fear, for the bravest men, of whom I met many in the southwest, sometimes had it in predominant development, and in the timid it was sometimes moderate, or small. Destructiveness was frequently a characteristic of narrow heads (indeed this is the case with the Thugs of India), and a broad development above the ears was sometimes accompanied by a mild disposition. The height of the head above the ears did not prove a correct criterion of moral character, nor did the breadth indicate correctly the amount of the selfish and violent passions.

I observed that the violent and selfish elements of character were connected with occipital depth, and elongation; that the affections were connected with the coronal region, that the sense of vision waslocated in the brow, and the sense of feeling in the temples, near the cheekbone, that the upper occipital region was the seat of energetic powers, and the lower, of violent or criminal impulses, and that the whole cerebrum was an apparatus of mingling convolutions, in which the functions, gradually changing from point to point, presented throughout a beautiful blending and connection.

Observing daily the comparative development of brain and body, with their reciprocal influence, I traced the outlines of cerebral physiology, and the laws of sympathetic connection or correspondence between the body and the encephalon, by which, in a given constitution, I would determine from the head the development of the whole body, the peculiar distributions of the circulation, with the consequent morbid tendencies, the relative perfection of the different senses and different organs of the body, and the character of the temperament.

Seeking continually for the fundamental laws of Anthropology, criticising and rejecting all that appeared objectionable or inconsistent, I acquired possession of numerous sound and comprehensive principles concerning the fundamental laws of cerebral science, which were at once touchstones for truth and efficient instruments for further research.

These fundamental laws, though very obvious and easily perceived when pointed out, had been overlooked by my predecessors, but are always accepted readily by my auditors, when fully explained. As new facts and principles led to the discovery of other facts and principles, a system of philosophy (not speculative, but scientific) was thus evolved, and a number of geometrical principles were established as the basis of the science of the brain, so evidently true, though so long overlooked, as to command the unanimous assent of all to whom they have been presented; and, as the acceptance of these principles involves the general acceptance of cerebral science, my labors as a teacher have ever been singularly harmonious, and free from doubt, antagonism, and contention.

The fundamental principle of the philosophy was geometric or mathematical, as it examined the construction of the brain, and showed an exact mathematical relation between each organ of the brain and its effects on the body, in the spontaneous gestures, the circulation of blood, the nervous forces, and local functions. Its leading characteristic being the law of the expression of the vital forces and feelings in outward acts. This doctrine was called thePathognomic System.

I was preparing to publish in several volumes the reorganized science as the Pathognomic System, when the consummation of my researches, by a brilliant discovery, led me into a new world of knowledge—to the full development of the science of Anthropology, according to which the brain gives organic expression to functions which are essentially located in the soul, and the body gives organic manifestation to functions which are controlled in the brain, while the body reacts upon the brain and the brain upon the soul. Thus, every element of humanity has a triple representation—thatin the soul, which is purely psychic, yet by its influence becomes physiological in the body; that in the body which is purely physiological, yet by its influence becomes psychic in the soul, and that in the brain which produces physiological effects in the body, and psychic effects in the soul.

Thus, each of the three repositories of power is a psycho-physiological representation of the man; more physical in the body, more spiritual in the soul, but in the brain a more perfect psycho-physiological representation of man as he is in the present life. This full conception of the brain, which Gall did not attain, involved the new science ofCerebral Physiology, in which the brain may express the character of the body, as well as the soul, of which I would only say at present that my first observations were directed to ascertaining the cerebral seats of the external senses, vision, hearing and feeling, and the influences of different portions of the brain on different portions of the body.

The location of the sense of feeling, of which I became absolutely certain in 1838, at the base of the middle lobe has since been substantially confirmed by Ferrier’s experiment on the monkey; but I have not been concerned about the results of vivisection, knowing that if I have made a true discovery, vivisection and pathology must necessarily confirm it; and I am not aware that any of my discoveries have been disturbed by the immense labors of vivisection.

The discovery of the organ of the sense of feeling led to an investigation of its powers, and the phenomena exhibited when its development was unusually large—hence came the initial fact of psychometry. Early in 1841 I found a very large development of the organ, in the head of the late Bishop Polk, then at Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, who subsequently became a confederate general. After explaining to him his great sensibility to atmospheric, electric, and all other physical conditions, he mentioned a still more remarkable sensibility—that whenever he touched brass, he had immediately the taste of brass in his mouth, whether he knew what he was touching or not. I lost no time in verifying this observation by many experiments upon other persons, and finding that there were many in whom sensibility was developed to this extent, so that when I placed pieces of metal in their hands, behind their backs, they could tell what the metal was by its taste, or some other impression. Further examinations showed that substances of any kind, held in the hands of sensitives, yielded not only an impression upon the sense of taste, by which they might be recognized, but an impression upon the entire sensibility of the body. Medicines tried in this manner gave a distinct impression—as distinct as if they had been swallowed—to a majority of the members of a large medical class, in the leading medical school at Cincinnati, and to those who had superior psychometric capacities, the impression given in this manner enabled them to describe the qualities and effects of the medicines as fully and accurately as they are given in the works on materia medica.

This method of investigation I consider not only vastly more easy and rapid than the method adopted by the followers of Hahnemann, but more accurate and efficient than any other method known to the medical profession, and destined, therefore, to produce a greater improvement in our knowledge of the materia medica than we can derive from all other methods combined, in the same length of time. I may hereafter publish the practical demonstration of this, but the vast amount of labor involved in my experimental researches has not yet permitted me to take up this department, although it has yielded me some very valuable discoveries.

It may require a century for mankind fully to realize the value of Psychometry. It has been clearly, though I cannot say completely shown in the “Manual of Psychometry,” to which I would refer the reader. I would simply state that the scientific discovery and exposition of Psychometry is equivalent to the dawn of new intellectual civilization, since it enables us to advance rapidly toward perfection all sciences and forms of knowledge now known, and to introduce new sciences heretofore unknown.

To theMedical Collegeit will give a method of accurate diagnosis which will supersede the blundering methods now existing—a method ofRAPIDLYenlarging and perfecting the materia medica—a method of exploring all difficult questions in Biology and Pathology, and a complete view of the constitution of man.

To theUniversityit offers a method of revising and correcting history and biography—of enlarging our knowledge of Natural History, Geology, and Astronomy, and exploring Ethnology.

To theChurchit offers a method of exploring the origins of all religions, the future life of man, and the relations of terrestrial and celestial life.

To thePhilanthropistit offers the methods of investigating and supervising education and social organization which may abolish all existing evils.

The foregoing were the initial steps and results in the development of Psychometry, simultaneously accompanied by those other discoveries in 1841, the scope and magnitude of which appear to me and to those who have studied my demonstrations, to be far more important than anything that has ever been discovered or done in Biological science, being nothing less than a complete scientific demonstration of the functions of the brain in all its psycho-physiological relations. To appreciate their transcendent importance, it is necessary only to know that the experiments have been carefully made, have often been repeated during the past forty-five years, and that all they demonstrate may also be demonstrated by other means, and fully established, if no such experiments could be made.

The origin of this discovery was as follows. My advanced investigations of the brain, between 1835 and 1841, had added so much to the incomplete and inaccurate discoveries of Gall, and had brought cerebral science into so much closer and more accurate relation with cerebral anatomy and embryology, as illustrated by Tiedemann, that I became profoundly aware of the position in whichI found myself, as an explorer, possessed of knowledge previously quite unknown, and yet, at the same time, however true, not strictly demonstrable, since none could fully realize its truth without following the same path and studying with the same concentrated devotion the comparative development of the brain in men and animals. Such zeal, success, and assiduity I did not believe could be expected. There might not be one man in a century to undertake such a task (for all the centuries of civilization had produced but one such man—the illustrious Gall), and when he appeared his voice would not be decisive. I would, therefore, appear not as presenting positive knowledge, but as contributing another theory, which the medical profession, regardless of my labors, would treat as a mere hypothesis.1

It was absolutely necessary that the functions of the brain should be demonstrated as positively as those of the spinal nerves had been demonstrated by Majendie and Bell. Two methods appeared possible. The two agents were galvanism and the aura of the nervous system, commonly called animal magnetism. My first experiments in 1841, satisfied me that both were available, but that thenervaurawas far more available, efficient, and satisfactory. Upon this I have relied ever since, though I sometimes experiment with galvanism, to demonstrate its efficiency, and Dr. De la Rua, of Cuba, informed me over twenty years ago that he found very delicate galvanic currents available for this purpose in his practice.

Animal magnetism or mesmerism had been involved in mystery and empiricism. There had never been any scientific or anatomical explanation of the phenomena, and this mystery I desired to dispel. My first step was to ascertain that for experiments on the nervous system we did not need the somnambulic or hypnotic condition, and that it was especially to be avoided as a source of confusion and error. Whenever the organ of sensibility, or sensitiveness, was sufficiently developed and predominant, the conditions of neurological experiments for scientific purposes were satisfactory, and to make such experiments, the subjects, instead of being ignorant, passive, emotional, hysteric, or inclined to trance, should be as intelligent as possible, well-balanced and clear-headed,—competent to observe subjective phenomena in a critical manner. Hence, my experiments, which have been made upon all sorts of persons, were most decisive and satisfactory to myself when made upon well-educated physicians, upon medical professors, my learned colleagues, upon eminent lawyers or divines, upon strong-minded farmers or hunters, entirely unacquainted with such subjects, and incapable of psychological delusion, or upon persons of very skeptical minds who would not admit anything until the phenomena were made very plain and unquestionable.

While the nervaura of the human constitution (which is asdistinctly perceptible to the sensitive as its caloric and electricity) is emitted from every portion of the surface of the head and body, the quality and quantity of that which is emitted from the inner surface of the hand, render it most available, and the application of the hand of any one who has a respectable amount of vital and mental energy, will produce a distinct local stimulation of functions wherever it may be applied upon the head or body. In this manner it is easy to demonstrate the amiable and pleasing influence of the superior regions of the brain, the more energetic and vitalizing influence of its posterior half, and the mild, subduing influence of the front.

In my first experiments, in the spring of 1841, I found so great susceptibility that I could demonstrate promptly even the smallest organs of the brain, and it was gratifying to find that the illustrious Gall had ascertained, with so marvellous accuracy the functions of the smallest organs in the front lobe, and the subject could be engrossed in the thought of numbers and counting by touching the organ of number or calculation. Eagerly did I proceed in testing the accuracy of all the discoveries of Gall and the additions I had made by craniological studies, as well as bringing out new functions which I had not been able to anticipate or discover. Omitting the history of those experiments, I would but briefly state that in 1842 I published a complete map of the brain, in which the full development of human faculties made a complete picture of the psycho-physiological constitution of man, and thus presented for the first time a science which might justly be calledAnthropology.2

It is obvious that prior to 1842 there was nothing entitled to the name ofAnthropology, as there was no complete geography before the discovery of America and circumnavigation of the globe. When man is fully portrayed by the statement of all the psychic and all the physiological faculties and functions found in his brain, which contains the totality, and manifests them in the soul and body, it is obvious that we have a true Anthropology, which, to complete its fulness, requires only the study of the soul as an entity distinct from the brain, and of the body as an anatomical and physiological apparatus. The latter had already been well accomplished by the medical profession, and the former very imperfectly by spiritual psychologists. But neither the physiology, nor the pneumatology had been placed in organic connection with the central cerebral science.

In consummating such tasks, I felt justified, in 1842, in adopting the word Anthropology, as the representative of the new science, though at that time it was so unfamiliar as to be misunderstood. This science, as presented in my Outlines of Anthropology in 1854, embraced another very important and entirely novel discovery—the psycho-physiological relations of the surface of the body, the manner in which every portion of the body responds to the brain and thesoul, the final solution of the great and hitherto impenetrable mystery of the triune relations of soul, brain, and body. This discovery, constituting the science of Sarcognomy, became the basis of a new medical philosophy, explaining the influence of the body on the soul, in health, and disease, and the reciprocal influence of the soul on the body.

This manifestly modified our views of therapeutics and revolutionized electro-therapeutics by pointing out the exact physiological and psychic effects of every portion of the surface of the body, when subject to local treatment, and hence, originating new methods of electric practice, in which many results were produced not heretofore deemed possible. All this was fully presented in my work onTherapeutic Sarcognomy, published in 1885, which was speedily sold.

In contemplating these immense results of a successful investigation of the functions of the brain, I can see no logical escape from the conclusion that such a revelation of the functions of the brain is by far the most important event that belongs to the history of vital science—an event so romantically different from the common, slow progress of science when cultivated by men of ability, that I do not wonder at the incredulity which naturally opposes its recognition, and seems to render the most unanimous and conclusive testimony from honorable scientists apparently ineffective. The support of the medical college in which I was Dean of the Faculty, the hearty endorsement by the Faculty of Indiana State University, and by numerous committees of investigation, seem to count as nothing with the conservative portion of the medical profession, who have ever understood how to ignore so simple and positive a demonstration as that of Harvey, or so practical a demonstration as that of Hahnemann, or so irresistible a mass of facts as those of modern psychic science.

The question will naturally arise among the enlightened lovers of truth, why so grand and sodemonstrablea science should for forty-five years have made so little progress toward general recognition. It is sufficient to say that new and revolutionary truth is never welcomed, and, if the discoverer is not active as a propagandist it has no diffusion. I did not feel that there was any receptiveness across the ocean for what was resisted here. Nevertheless I did prepare and send to Edinburgh, in 1841, a brief report of my discoveries accompanied by an endorsement or introduction from the venerable Prof. Caldwell, the founder of the successful medical college at Louisville, whose lectures were attended by four hundred pupils. I supposed the gentlemen of the Phrenological Society at Edinburgh the most liberal parties in Great Britain, but they declined publishing my memoir astoo marvellous, and proposed merely to file it away as a caveat of the discovery. That ended all thoughts of Europe; and, indeed, it seemed to me premature to urge such a discovery and so grand a philosophy upon the world in the present state of its intellectual civilization. I ceased to agitate the subject for many years, and allowed myself to be drawn into thepolitical agitations connected with our civil war, to mitigate some of its social and political evils.

Of late, however, an urgent and imperative sense of duty has put my pen in motion as the remnant of my life will be hardly sufficient to record the results of my investigations.

In the “New Education” and the “Manual of Psychometry—the dawn of a new civilization”—I have appealed to the public, and three editions of the former with two of the latter show that the public is not indifferent. The recognition of the marvellous claims of Psychometry will prepare the way for the supreme science of Anthropology, to which the coming century will do justice.

In justice to the learned Prof. Caldwell and myself, I should not omit to mention that this distinguished, eloquent, and venerable gentleman, who, in his early life, was a cotemporary of the famous Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, and throughout his life was a champion of the most progressive doctrines in Biology, not only gave his friendly co-operation on the first presentation of my discoveries, but ten years later honored me with a visit at Cincinnati, to become more fully acquainted with them, and subsequently, by appointment of the National Medical Association, prepared a report upon subjects of a kindred nature, in which he incorporated a statement of my discoveries. His subsequent illness and death, in 1854, at an advanced age, prevented the delivery of this memoir.

In signal contrast to the honorable and candid course of Prof.Caldwell, and to the candid examination, followed by eulogistic language of Prof.H. P. Gatchell,Robert Dale Owen, PresidentAndrew Wylie, Rev.John Pierpont, Dr.SamuelForry, Prof.Wm. Denton, the eloquent JudgeRowan, and a score of other eminently intellectual men, it is my duty to record the melancholy fact that the great majority of professional men, when tested, have manifested an entire apathy, if not a positive aversion, to the investigations and discoveries in which these momentous results have been reached. While no aversion, disrespect, or suspicion was shown toward myself, a stubborn aversion was shown to investigations that might have revolutionary results—proving that our false systems of education teach men not to think independently, but to adhere closely to precedent authority, fashion, popularity, andhabit, which is the inertia of the mental world.The faculty of my alma mater (excepting Prof. Caldwell) refused to investigate the subject, even when invited by their Board of Trustees. The Boston Academy of Arts and Sciences, embracing the men at the head of the medical profession, pretended to take up the subject, but in a few hours dropped it, with polite compliments to myself, in 1842. The American Medical Association, in 1878, refused to entertain the subject because I could not coincide with them in my sentiments, and accept their code of bigotry. There was no formal action of the Association, but my friend, Prof. Gross, then recognized as the Nestor of the profession, and holding the highest position of authority, informed me semi-officially, very courteously, that none of my discoveries could ever be brought to the notice of the Association, because I did not accept their code. Thus (without mentioning other instances), I have stood before the public with ademonstrablescience, challenging investigation by critical opponents, who have so uniformly evaded or shrunk from the test that I have ceased to care for their opinions, while I still entertain as profound a respect as ever for the investigations of the candid and manly, among whom I never fail to find friendship and cordiality.Looking back forty-five years, I remember with extreme pleasure the friendly co-operation ofRowanandCaldwell. The American medical profession never had a more dignified, imposing, and high-toned representative than Prof. Caldwell. Nor was the legal profession anywhere ever adorned by a more commanding and gracious representative than the unsurpassed advocate,Rowan, who was widely known as the “Old Monarch.” The nobility of such men was shown in their noble bearing toward a dawning science, In which they saw the grandeur of the future.

In signal contrast to the honorable and candid course of Prof.Caldwell, and to the candid examination, followed by eulogistic language of Prof.H. P. Gatchell,Robert Dale Owen, PresidentAndrew Wylie, Rev.John Pierpont, Dr.SamuelForry, Prof.Wm. Denton, the eloquent JudgeRowan, and a score of other eminently intellectual men, it is my duty to record the melancholy fact that the great majority of professional men, when tested, have manifested an entire apathy, if not a positive aversion, to the investigations and discoveries in which these momentous results have been reached. While no aversion, disrespect, or suspicion was shown toward myself, a stubborn aversion was shown to investigations that might have revolutionary results—proving that our false systems of education teach men not to think independently, but to adhere closely to precedent authority, fashion, popularity, andhabit, which is the inertia of the mental world.

The faculty of my alma mater (excepting Prof. Caldwell) refused to investigate the subject, even when invited by their Board of Trustees. The Boston Academy of Arts and Sciences, embracing the men at the head of the medical profession, pretended to take up the subject, but in a few hours dropped it, with polite compliments to myself, in 1842. The American Medical Association, in 1878, refused to entertain the subject because I could not coincide with them in my sentiments, and accept their code of bigotry. There was no formal action of the Association, but my friend, Prof. Gross, then recognized as the Nestor of the profession, and holding the highest position of authority, informed me semi-officially, very courteously, that none of my discoveries could ever be brought to the notice of the Association, because I did not accept their code. Thus (without mentioning other instances), I have stood before the public with ademonstrablescience, challenging investigation by critical opponents, who have so uniformly evaded or shrunk from the test that I have ceased to care for their opinions, while I still entertain as profound a respect as ever for the investigations of the candid and manly, among whom I never fail to find friendship and cordiality.

Looking back forty-five years, I remember with extreme pleasure the friendly co-operation ofRowanandCaldwell. The American medical profession never had a more dignified, imposing, and high-toned representative than Prof. Caldwell. Nor was the legal profession anywhere ever adorned by a more commanding and gracious representative than the unsurpassed advocate,Rowan, who was widely known as the “Old Monarch.” The nobility of such men was shown in their noble bearing toward a dawning science, In which they saw the grandeur of the future.

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