The mysteries of human nature explained by a new system of nervous physiology : to which is added, a review of the errors of spiritualism, and instructions for developing or resisting the influence by which subjects and mediums are made / by J. Stanley Grimes.

  • J. Stanley Grimes
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The mysteries of human nature explained by a new system of nervous physiology : to which is added, a review of the errors of spiritualism, and instructions for developing or resisting the influence by which subjects and mediums are made / by J. Stanley Grimes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    take advantage of it; and it is through them that the operator produces his effects upon the mind, and through them and the mind, upon the body. When the operator says, you can not open your eyes, that assertion puts the brain and mind into such a stale as to prevent even an exertion to open them. When the subject is told to put out his hand, and is told that he can not put it down, his conforming organs not only con- trol the mind, to prevent it from moving the voluntary muscles, but, if you will examine the arm you will notice, that it is colder than the other; its nutrition is being suspended, to harmonize with the state of the mind. Tell the subject to look up and he will see a rainbow, and, if he is deeply affected, he will appear to see it; but he is seeing it as we see things in a dream. It is what Shakspeare calls the mind's eye that sees it. Tell him that there is a river, a bower, a company, the form of a spirit — it is a departed friend. He sees, or rather he dreams that he sees, all that, you describe. Tell him to listen — the spirit speaks — what does he say] The subject hears the voice, and will tell you what the com- munication is which the spirit makes. Thus you lead the subject from one vision to another. Tell him to put his hands on a table, and that the spirit will tip it over; and he will tip it over himself as unintentionally as he sees the vision. The language of the operator affects his muscles, just as it does his mind: indeed, it is through his mind that the operator's words affect his muscles, as well as his heart, and arteries. Now ask him to listen again, and request the spirit to rap on the table in answer to his mental questions. Tell him to ask a question — he listens, and declares that he hears the raps distinctly, and feels the table jar, and that his mental questions are all answered with perfect accuracy. Let him join any spirit-