CONTRIBUTIONS
TO
By E.
CHOLERA LITERATURE*
THE
BONAVIA,
M.D.
ORIGIN AND DIFFUSION OF CHOLERA.
No. I. Animal Radiation.?Thcso two words may appear strange to the reader, and he may not see exactly how an articlo on animal radiation comes to liavo a place in a discussion on cholera; hut as in the course of these papers I shall often uso these words, I shall have first to explain what I mean bj: Animal
Radiation, in order that the reader may comprehend the hyposuggest regarding the origin and diffusion
thesis which I shall of cholera.
Radiation of any kind directions from tho
a
central
means
point;
of animal
hypothesis
emission of ether
and the
radiation
waves
in all
which I baso are, 1st, the admitted
grounds
on
ether; and 2nd, the capability of transmitting to our nervous system tho waves originated by the heat and light atomic vibrations of the sun and stars. Whoever has read Tyndall's book on Heat Considered as a Mode of Motion," and has understood it, cannot fail to believe either in the existence of a universal ether, or in the dynamic nature of heat and light. Now, given tho ether, and tho possibility of waves being initiated in it by means of the ato mic vibrations of matter, also its capability of transmitting thcso waves from body to body, it follows as a corollary that every atomic vibration, whatever tho body may bo of which tho atoms form part, creates a disturbance in the ether. Thus, round every animal from man downwards, round every plant, there must bo a sericg of ether waves continually given off from the individual as a centre; and it is evident that the living human organism, or let us say tho centre of it?the nervous system?is continually emitting ethereal waves in all directions. Tho naturo of tho existence of
an
inter-stellar and inter-atomic
universal ether's
"
waves must, cf course, be in accordance with the mode of vibration of the atoms of the nerve centres. It is this emission of ether waves from tho animal body which I call Animal
Eadiation. It may require a very strong and extensive atomic vibration to transmit waves of heat and light from tho sun and stars to our nerve-centres, but an infinitely more feeble atomic vibration of the nerve-centres may bo quite adequate to transmit ethereal waves from one individual to another, with tho distance between
perhaps only a few feet or yards. I do not perceive how we can escape from the belief in animal radiation, if wo admit radiation at all. Tho only objection that can bo made is, that animal radiation must be a comparatively weak radiation. I grant tliis fully; nevertheless, vhero have been recorded statements which we have not sufficient grounds to believe arc not facts, and which may yet prove that animal radiation is not so weak as at first appears. The reader them of
will, I think, not be unwilling to grant that if animal radiation exists at all, it must be of a very complex nature. Vital atomic motion being made up of various elementary atomic motions, such as nicchanical, chemical, thermic,
electric,
it follows that a disturbance in any one of tho elementary motions which constitute life and health in a man, will necessarily affect tho complex motion?animal radiation. As long as there are light and heat in the universe, there can bo no rest for the ether. It is ever, more or less, in a state of commotion. Even during our nights, besides the commotion caused
by the stars, planets, and moon, there is that produced by tho surplus heat of the earth, cominunicatfcd to it during the day by the sun, and which is expended in transmitting motion to the ether during the night. We must, therefore, in trying to explain the phenomena with which man is immediately con*
These contributions will appear in
present is the introductory
one.
ft
series of four papers, of which tho may not bo ready in
Possibly th.?y
timo to appear in consecutive numbers of tho Indian Medical
Gaztllt.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. cerned?and with what phenomena is man not concerned??take into consideration not only tho radiation from the sun and stars, hut also that proceeding from all objects, whether organized
unorganized, in our immediate vicinity. By so doing, I think we are likely to err less in estimating the causes of disease in so complex an organism as a human being. Let us now try and understand what healthy life is in man. or
nervous system is the essential porIt i3 the thinking and feeling structure. By its means, the animal called man is able to balance the movements of his whole organism with the movements of the surnature. By movements I do not mean only the
Few will doubt that the
tion of
man.
rounding
movements of matter en masse, hut also every kind of atomic motion whether appreciable or not by his intellect and other feeling-centres. Consequently, under this word movement or motion is comprehended every possible phenomenon of nature. That the atomic motion of tho
structure must he of I think there are no grounds for doubting. Of course there are different degrees of health, corresponding to different modes of atomic motion. But it is evident that like results must he induced by like atomic
a
certain kind in order
to
nervous
devclope health,
For instance, whatever the states of the nervous system. remote cause of the phenomenon of vomiting may be,?such as tartar emetic, teething, pregnancy, &c.,?the proximate and exciting cause, that is, the atomic state of the nerve-centre or nerve which induces it, must be always tho same. Again, in the disease called cholera, whatever may be the group of I remote causes which combine to produce it, the proximate and
exciting cause, which is the atomic state of the nervous system, inducing the phenomena of cholera, must be always the same. It follows, therefore, that each disease must have a corresponding atomic state of the nervous structure, and each individual's health must have a corresponding atomic state of his nervous system, which gives to that individual his idiosyncratic
[January 1,
1867-
Tlic liuman organism is at any one moment of its existence, the result of all the conditions under which, at that moment, it may be situated, whether these conditions are totally or
partially one
Consequently what may do good or harm to individual, may do just the reverse to another; and what may do harm or good to the same individual, in one moment, may not do so, or may do just the reverse, in the next. In No. 9 of the Indian Medical Gazette, 1st September, 1866, an page '265, mention id made of an idiosyncratic peculiarity m individual who could "instinctively tell, the moment he lies down
known to
in
a
us.
strange room, whether his head is
to
the north
or
the south,
position only being natural to him." This cannot be explained, except by an extreme sensibility of that person's nervous system to the terrestrial magnetism. One hears so often of certain individuals being aware of the is presence of a cat in their vicinity without seeing it, that oue inclined to believe there is some truth, in it. Such phenomena can only be explained by animal radiation, in the following way: The great bulk of men are totally insensible to cat-radiation; nevertheless there is no reason why some should not have their nervous system disturbed, when they come within the sphere of
the former
its action. When once the individual has learnt to connect that uncomfortable feeling with the vicinity of a cat, he is able afterwards to identify it without seeing the animal. It strikes me that, in the lowest animal organisms, where no trace of a specialized feeling structure, such as a nervous system, exists, animal radiation from other organisms who may come in their vicinity, may be the means of their becoming cognizant of the feel the waves of presence of enemies. We know that heat and lowest of
system
light, and there is animals, which have all, feel the ether
at
plants
no
reason
to disbelieve that the
neither senses movements
nor
any nervous from other
proceeding
animals in their vicinity. At different times, men,
whose voracity there is no reason impugn, have made statements which, however incredible, they certainly considered facts, and which can be by animal radiation. j explained chemico-meehanical action of the blood. I feel that I am now entering upon a subject regarding which It does not at all follow that, because one given cause disturbs there has been, and is, such a universal and deep-seated increduthe nervous atomic action of one man, it must of necessity dislity, that it is not at all improbable that, by so doing, I may be turb that of all other men exposed to its influence. There are forfeiting my character for soundness of miad However, no doubt great causes which would harm every man exposed it is right that personal considerations should give way to to them; for instance, no individual peculiarity would save a scientific exigencies; and I feel sure that some of those man from being killed by a stroke of electricity, if he happened who may happen to read these lines will not think it to be within its action, and no individual peculiarity would beneath their intellectual dignity to investigate this subject with save a man from being burnt, if he were placed in the fire. a more independent and scientific spirit than has hitherto been that there are men who suffer much But every one knows done. My explanation of the phenomena which have given from minor causes, which would not affect others in the least. rise to so much incredulity, will, I trust, aid them in their Hence arose the popular saying?" One man's meat is another researches, should they feel convinced that souie truth must man's poison." There must be always individual causes for underlie the repeated statements which have been made regardstrengthening, weakening, or otherwise modifying the nervous ing this wonderful subject. I feel ccrtain that it will eventually atomic action, which being hereditary, or arising from individual bc-ccme one of the best means of investigating and discovering modes of life, cannot possibly affect other individuals. the laws and nature of menial phenomena. The subject to There are various instances in the insect world which illus-
character. Of course, any difference in the blood will immediately affect the atomic state of the nervous system, the latter depending so vastly, but not entirely, for its atomic motion on the
trate the
foregoing statement. For instance, two caterpillars of apparently the same genus and same species, the one in one part of the country feeds 011 plant A, the other in another part of the country feeds on plant 15. A is poisonous to the feeder of B, or more correctly, the feeder of B will starve rather than eat A.
We are very apt to look upon the human organism as a fixed result, behaving in the same way under the same conditions. This would certainly be so, if tho conditions were in reality
always
the
same.
Although
to
apparently identical, there our senses cannot apprise us.
us
must be many differences of which Our senses do not apprise us of the existence of the universal ether, and it has required a vast number cf years of constant thought for us, at the present day, to be almost tangibly con-
vinced that there must be such
a
thing
as a
universal ether.
whatever to
which I allude is animal magnetism. One of the great reasons for which men disbelieve any statement that they may hear, is because they cannot satisfactorily account for its occurrence. And hence it is that a statement made in one generation is generally disbelieved, and not listened to, until some strong
intellect,
at
rendering
a
future
the fact
generation, has thought of the means tangible to the minds of the generality
of of
men.
If I were to tell anybody that I had just seen a horse with his rider tumble down, no reason would be seen for disbelieving me, provided I were known to be in the habit of telling the truth. 15ut suppose, a hundred years ago, I had told any one a few hours I had sent a message from England to America and had got back an answer, one would no more have believed me than he would have believed in his ability to fly,
that in
although
up to that moment he may have had
implicit faith
in
January
1.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHOLERA LITERATURE.-BY
1867.]
"Why ? Because my statement -would have been, with his ordinary knowledge, utterly incomprehensible to him.* So it is with the phenomena of animal magnetism. They are so completely out of the experience of the generality of men, and consequently so astounding to them, that tlieir minds at once refuse to believe them. Nevertheless, I am satisfied from
being If
animal radiation in
a
allude to its most
separate work; and, therefore, I shall here
prominent facts,
in order that the reader
understand what I mean with reference to the diffusion of disease.
may
more
fully
by
animal
radiation,
The reader will have no difficulty in understanding that if I a body of the temperature of 100? in contact with another of 50?, the more heated body will communicate to the less heated one a portion of its heat, and will continue to do so
place
until both bodies are of equal temperature. This will occur without the bodies being in contact. If the two bodies are suspended at a distance from cach other in a vacuum, the same result will take place through the medium of the universal
ether, which transports waves of heat motion from the hotter body to the other, until both are in perfect unison. Well, what I mean by animal radiation is a series of waves originated by the vibrations of the atoms of the nervous system of an individual, and transmitted in all directions through the medium of the surrounding ether. These waves are different from, and independent of, the heat waves which the body of the individual is emitting at the same time. If the reader has accepted what I have said about two bodies having two different degrees of temperature, the one having the greater degree of motion communicating a part of it to the other, which has less, he cannot fail to understand how an individual can magnetize another, and Avhy it is necessary that the magnetizer should have a great deal of animal vigor or vital motion; why an individual, who is nervously weak, is more easily magnetized than a vigorous one ; how it is that the magnetizer is able by his own radiation to disturb the independent nervous motion of his patient, and cause him to enter into a sort of sleep ; and how, if all conditions are favorable, by continuing and repeating this influence, he is eventually able to reduce the atomic motion of his patient's nervous system to a state of synchronism with that of his own, and consequently make the whole patient's organism as if it were one with his own; and finally, how the will of the magnetizer is transmitted instantaneously through the ether to the brain of the patient, the will and knowledge of the latter becoming for the time being that of the former. Such a phenomenon is not so tremendously difficult to understand, if we have conceived how it is possible for the motions of one magnet on the eastern side of the Atlantic to repeat themselves cxactly in another magnet on the western side of that ocean. We make no difficulty about admitting and fancy*
The
phenomenon, nevertheless, was
yearn ago than it is
now.
no more an
impossibility
a
hundred
preventing
could discover
light, a
kettle
we or
perfect conductor, and a perfect isolator might by means of a fire or light in
a
read
a
newspaper in America!
radiation, the waves are emitted in all directions; but there being in the vicinity an individual already tuned to the synchronism of those waves, they dash against him and produce in him the same thoughts and will of
magnetism. I say only many, because there are some which I cannot yet comprehend, and which I shall therefore not admit till I can see some satisfactory mode of explaining them. I shall substitute for the words animal magnetism?animal radiation, which will at once render the subject clear and com-
only
we
Ireland boil
of animal
Tyndall's book on " Heat Considered as a Mode of Motion," will prove to be the key which will open many a secret of nature, and divulge io us mines of knowledge, and truths which we do not yet in the least suspect. I intend, if opportunity and leisure permit me, to treat of the whole phenomena of
M. D.
scattered in all directions.
of heat and
the little I have seen, and from what I have heard and read, that there is no doubt about the truth of many of the phenomena
radiation.
BOXAYIA,
ing that we quite comprehend this wonderful fact. It is true that in the case of electric telegraphy there is a connecting isolated wire, but this is merely for the purpose of directing tho electric motion to a particular point, and it from
what I said.
prehensive to the minds of those who have understood, and have devoted any attention to the phenomena of Heat and Light
E.
In the case
of animal
the radiator.
Why one particular individual is affected, and not everybody vicinity of the radiator, I shall endeavour to explain by the following example. Let the reader imagine fifty men standing in a circle, one by the side of the other, and a lighted lamp on a table in the centre of the circle. Let him further imagine that forty-nine of the men are completely blind, and the fiftieth only not so lie would have no difficulty in believing that only one out of the fifty was affected by tho light waves, and he surely would not disbelieve in the phenomena of light, because forty-nine of the men were insensible to it, and therefore considered it all "humbug," or, to use a more elegant term, an ingenious trick. The magnetizer selects a particular individual, because he find3 that one sensible to his radiation, and having made the discovery, and afterwards, by repeated magnetization, tuned him completely to his own motion, he is able, without any direct conductor, to transmit to him his own thoughts and will. It is quite possible that by discovering a good conductor and isolator of animal radiation, some more interesting facts tvill in the
be known which hitherto have not been dreamt of.
far, he will not find it magnetizei; has attuned
If the reader has followed me thus difficult to the
comprehend that,
nervous
motion
of his
after the
patient
to his own,
a
certain dis-
tance, and intervening walls, may offer little opposition to tho passage of the ether waves ; the strength of the waves emitted
by the magnetizer being of possible that some substances
more
importance, although
it is
may act as bad conductors, in the same way that theremre bad conductors of heat waves, light waves, and electricity waves. I think I have said enough to interest the reader in this most and yet unexplored branch of science, and to mako it easy for him to believe that the prominent statements which of the sphere are made regarding animal magnetism, are not out of possibility, however wonderful and incredible they may ap-
important
pear to many. There are various other extraordinary statements which, if true, are referable to this same force?animal radiation. We have heard so often of one individual at a great distance aware of something befalling another?a husband, son, a brother?who may.be far away. For instance, A, a man in India, receives a mortal wound in action. B, his wife in England, is made aware of the occurrence, by a mental distress which brings out vividly in her the idea of some harm
being made
a
having befallen her husband. We are told that in many instances this foreboding has turned out to bo correct. It is very natural to suppose that, if the man were fond of his wife, feeling that he were dying, he would think of her with emotion, and she, being synchronously attuned to him by previous strong affection, would easily be moved. Or, may te, the atomic disturbance caused in his nervous system by the wound, or other sudden cause of death, would repeat itself, to some extent, in his wife's nervous system. The distance is no great objection. It would require a complete tuning of the and
intense
system of the two individuals, a strong mental motion the part of the one, in order to emit strong waves, and a
nervous on
6
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
favorable condition of the ether. The non-concurrence of these conditions may possibly be the reason "why we do not hear of such phenomena more frequently. I have stated before that there must be radiation, more or from all atoms in nature. But only those waves which
less,
initiated by the greatest force have sufficient momentum in them to reach any distance. The waves of heat and light that originate in the sun and stars are of this nature. All are
on our globe can only be felt by us at short distances from the radiating centres, unless the vibrations of our brain-atoms happen to be at the time synchronous with the motion of the waves. In such cases it is not impossible that at long distances very feeble waves may in this way make themselves felt.
radiations from atoms
comparatively
Such statements as I have alluded to are well worth collectif possible, verifying. There is another set of facts ?which cannot be explained, except by the hypothesis of animal
ing and,
We have
radiation. semblance
was
not been any not
very
family
often seen married
couples whose reand between whom there had connection previous to marriage. I do
marked,
know whether there have been instances of resemblance
between husband and wife, in which the two persons hated each other. But I have observed it in several who were very fond of each other, and I explain it in the following manner: The atomic motion of the nervous system of the one is attuned to that of the other, by the oft-repeated percussion of ether waves passing from one nervous system to the other. An equilibrium takes place, aud their features and organs, be-
character and thoughts, become moulded after the same
sides
fashion. If the reader felt convinccd, as I am, that the atomic motion of the nervous system plays a great part in moulding the form and character of an animal, he would easily understand that when the atomic motion of the nervous systems of husband and wife become perfectly attuned, provided there be no disturbing cause, it is possible they will resemble each other. Parents transmit their physiognomy and character to their off-
spring, by transmitting to them their own nervous atomic motion. And_husband and wife come to resemble each other by reciprocal transmission, through the medium of animal radiation, of their nervous atomic motion, thus making, so to speak, A friend of mine one day remarked that one body of the two. he thought European infants nursed by East Indian women,
acquired
some
of the character of their foster-mothers.
His
grounds for so thinking were that in various instances in which bull-pups are suckled by a pariah slut, they become totally different in character from their brothers who were nursed by their mother. lie also remarked that natives of India have an idea that when a foal is suckled by a buffalo, it becomes very fond of the water, and in crossing streams it rolls in the water, after the fashion of buffaloes. If there are sufficient proofs of the correctness of these statements, I think they can also be accounted
own
for to
a
great extent by animal radiation.
At first I did net see that ihere could be any connection between the phenomena and the circumstances said to be connected with them. But thinking over the matter, I came is the result of the action by the atomic motion of the mother's nerve-centres. We know that the influence of the nervous system on the quality of the milk is very great, there having been cases on record in which a fit of the milk poisonous. Milk sucked from the rage rendered mamma is very different from the same milk squeezed out of it and given to the child by a spoon or bottle. When to the
following
of
cell
a
on
conclusion: Milk
the
blood,
stimulated
it passes from the mamma directly to the mouth of the child, it carries with it a vibration synchronous with that of the mother's nervous system. And besides motion communicated to the child internally by means of the fluid which it sucks,
there is the direct motion transmitted by animal
radiation,
the
[January 1, 1BG7-
being in contact -with the body of the mother or nurse during the act of sucking. It often happens that the milk of a wet -nurse disagrees with the child. In such cases, not only the composition of the fluid may he at fault, but also its atomic -vibration. There is yet another class of phenomena which may be explained in a similar way. Most people have on various occasions been astonished at a particular individual, of whom they were at the time thinking or talking, making his appearance, when they had not the slightest idea that he was so near them. From these facta occurring so often, the expression Talk of the devil and he will appear" has arisen. These are explainable on the principle of animal radiation. A person by coming near you, places you within the sphere of his radiation; and it is very probable that at the time he is thinking of you, which circumstance may make the waves more telling on you. The waves dash against the atoms of your brain, raise in them thoughts of the individual from whom the waves were emitted, and you begin to think and talk of him, and are intensely astonished when all of a sudden he makes his appearance. I do not intend to enter any further, at present, on the subject of phenomena connected with animal radiation, because of itself it is sufficiently large to constitute a separate
child
"
No doubt it is connected with all the other in the universe bears some relation to everything else. But I shall merely state for the consideration of the scientific reader that, if the universal ether is a reality, if it is true that vibrations of the solar atoms are transmitted to us by the movements of this ether, as heat and light, then,
branch of science.
sciences,
as
everything
in my opinion, it must be true that every movement of every atom on the earth, whether inorganic, organic, or organized, and more especially the vibration of nerve-atoms, upon which life in the higher animals in. a great measure depends, also creates and emits waves in the surrounding ether." Whether these waves will reach to the distance of a foot, of ten feet, or of miles
more, will entirely depend upon their initiatory and the obstacles they may meet on their way. In conclusion, one might well ask, what have all these or
fifty force,
pheno-
them to be true, to do with cholera ? If they are not true, of course they have nothing to do with it. But if they are true, then they may have a great deal to do with the propagation of cholera from one individual to another, and therefore with the diffusion of cholera. They would establish a new fact?animal radiation. If it is true that, by animal
mena,
one
supposing
man
is able to influence another so
radiation,
completely as
annihiwith his own, through would be far from impossible tor the atomic disturbance of cholera to propagate itself through the same channel, by repetition in other individuals who may be favorably disposed to be atfected by such atomic motion. Having thus far registered my thoughts on animal radiation, 1 shall leave the reader to ruminate them, and take up my discussions and the origin and diffusion of cholera. late his will, and, the medium of the
so
to
speak, ether, it
render it
to
one
speculations regarding All the animal phenomena to which I have alluded in the to the same class. course of this article, evidently belong If, when they occur, some authentic information could be collected regarding them, and published, they might prove very valuable. If any one would condescend to criticize fairly the above, and show whether the whole or a part is not tenable, so much the better.
TO
By E.
CHOLERA LITERATURE*
THE
BONAVIA,
M.D.
ORIGIN AND DIFFUSION OF CHOLERA.
No. I. Animal Radiation.?Thcso two words may appear strange to the reader, and he may not see exactly how an articlo on animal radiation comes to liavo a place in a discussion on cholera; hut as in the course of these papers I shall often uso these words, I shall have first to explain what I mean bj: Animal
Radiation, in order that the reader may comprehend the hyposuggest regarding the origin and diffusion
thesis which I shall of cholera.
Radiation of any kind directions from tho
a
central
means
point;
of animal
hypothesis
emission of ether
and the
radiation
waves
in all
which I baso are, 1st, the admitted
grounds
on
ether; and 2nd, the capability of transmitting to our nervous system tho waves originated by the heat and light atomic vibrations of the sun and stars. Whoever has read Tyndall's book on Heat Considered as a Mode of Motion," and has understood it, cannot fail to believe either in the existence of a universal ether, or in the dynamic nature of heat and light. Now, given tho ether, and tho possibility of waves being initiated in it by means of the ato mic vibrations of matter, also its capability of transmitting thcso waves from body to body, it follows as a corollary that every atomic vibration, whatever tho body may bo of which tho atoms form part, creates a disturbance in the ether. Thus, round every animal from man downwards, round every plant, there must bo a sericg of ether waves continually given off from the individual as a centre; and it is evident that the living human organism, or let us say tho centre of it?the nervous system?is continually emitting ethereal waves in all directions. Tho naturo of tho existence of
an
inter-stellar and inter-atomic
universal ether's
"
waves must, cf course, be in accordance with the mode of vibration of the atoms of the nerve centres. It is this emission of ether waves from tho animal body which I call Animal
Eadiation. It may require a very strong and extensive atomic vibration to transmit waves of heat and light from tho sun and stars to our nerve-centres, but an infinitely more feeble atomic vibration of the nerve-centres may bo quite adequate to transmit ethereal waves from one individual to another, with tho distance between
perhaps only a few feet or yards. I do not perceive how we can escape from the belief in animal radiation, if wo admit radiation at all. Tho only objection that can bo made is, that animal radiation must be a comparatively weak radiation. I grant tliis fully; nevertheless, vhero have been recorded statements which we have not sufficient grounds to believe arc not facts, and which may yet prove that animal radiation is not so weak as at first appears. The reader them of
will, I think, not be unwilling to grant that if animal radiation exists at all, it must be of a very complex nature. Vital atomic motion being made up of various elementary atomic motions, such as nicchanical, chemical, thermic,
electric,
it follows that a disturbance in any one of tho elementary motions which constitute life and health in a man, will necessarily affect tho complex motion?animal radiation. As long as there are light and heat in the universe, there can bo no rest for the ether. It is ever, more or less, in a state of commotion. Even during our nights, besides the commotion caused
by the stars, planets, and moon, there is that produced by tho surplus heat of the earth, cominunicatfcd to it during the day by the sun, and which is expended in transmitting motion to the ether during the night. We must, therefore, in trying to explain the phenomena with which man is immediately con*
These contributions will appear in
present is the introductory
one.
ft
series of four papers, of which tho may not bo ready in
Possibly th.?y
timo to appear in consecutive numbers of tho Indian Medical
Gaztllt.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. cerned?and with what phenomena is man not concerned??take into consideration not only tho radiation from the sun and stars, hut also that proceeding from all objects, whether organized
unorganized, in our immediate vicinity. By so doing, I think we are likely to err less in estimating the causes of disease in so complex an organism as a human being. Let us now try and understand what healthy life is in man. or
nervous system is the essential porIt i3 the thinking and feeling structure. By its means, the animal called man is able to balance the movements of his whole organism with the movements of the surnature. By movements I do not mean only the
Few will doubt that the
tion of
man.
rounding
movements of matter en masse, hut also every kind of atomic motion whether appreciable or not by his intellect and other feeling-centres. Consequently, under this word movement or motion is comprehended every possible phenomenon of nature. That the atomic motion of tho
structure must he of I think there are no grounds for doubting. Of course there are different degrees of health, corresponding to different modes of atomic motion. But it is evident that like results must he induced by like atomic
a
certain kind in order
to
nervous
devclope health,
For instance, whatever the states of the nervous system. remote cause of the phenomenon of vomiting may be,?such as tartar emetic, teething, pregnancy, &c.,?the proximate and exciting cause, that is, the atomic state of the nerve-centre or nerve which induces it, must be always tho same. Again, in the disease called cholera, whatever may be the group of I remote causes which combine to produce it, the proximate and
exciting cause, which is the atomic state of the nervous system, inducing the phenomena of cholera, must be always the same. It follows, therefore, that each disease must have a corresponding atomic state of the nervous structure, and each individual's health must have a corresponding atomic state of his nervous system, which gives to that individual his idiosyncratic
[January 1,
1867-
Tlic liuman organism is at any one moment of its existence, the result of all the conditions under which, at that moment, it may be situated, whether these conditions are totally or
partially one
Consequently what may do good or harm to individual, may do just the reverse to another; and what may do harm or good to the same individual, in one moment, may not do so, or may do just the reverse, in the next. In No. 9 of the Indian Medical Gazette, 1st September, 1866, an page '265, mention id made of an idiosyncratic peculiarity m individual who could "instinctively tell, the moment he lies down
known to
in
a
us.
strange room, whether his head is
to
the north
or
the south,
position only being natural to him." This cannot be explained, except by an extreme sensibility of that person's nervous system to the terrestrial magnetism. One hears so often of certain individuals being aware of the is presence of a cat in their vicinity without seeing it, that oue inclined to believe there is some truth, in it. Such phenomena can only be explained by animal radiation, in the following way: The great bulk of men are totally insensible to cat-radiation; nevertheless there is no reason why some should not have their nervous system disturbed, when they come within the sphere of
the former
its action. When once the individual has learnt to connect that uncomfortable feeling with the vicinity of a cat, he is able afterwards to identify it without seeing the animal. It strikes me that, in the lowest animal organisms, where no trace of a specialized feeling structure, such as a nervous system, exists, animal radiation from other organisms who may come in their vicinity, may be the means of their becoming cognizant of the feel the waves of presence of enemies. We know that heat and lowest of
system
light, and there is animals, which have all, feel the ether
at
plants
no
reason
to disbelieve that the
neither senses movements
nor
any nervous from other
proceeding
animals in their vicinity. At different times, men,
whose voracity there is no reason impugn, have made statements which, however incredible, they certainly considered facts, and which can be by animal radiation. j explained chemico-meehanical action of the blood. I feel that I am now entering upon a subject regarding which It does not at all follow that, because one given cause disturbs there has been, and is, such a universal and deep-seated increduthe nervous atomic action of one man, it must of necessity dislity, that it is not at all improbable that, by so doing, I may be turb that of all other men exposed to its influence. There are forfeiting my character for soundness of miad However, no doubt great causes which would harm every man exposed it is right that personal considerations should give way to to them; for instance, no individual peculiarity would save a scientific exigencies; and I feel sure that some of those man from being killed by a stroke of electricity, if he happened who may happen to read these lines will not think it to be within its action, and no individual peculiarity would beneath their intellectual dignity to investigate this subject with save a man from being burnt, if he were placed in the fire. a more independent and scientific spirit than has hitherto been that there are men who suffer much But every one knows done. My explanation of the phenomena which have given from minor causes, which would not affect others in the least. rise to so much incredulity, will, I trust, aid them in their Hence arose the popular saying?" One man's meat is another researches, should they feel convinced that souie truth must man's poison." There must be always individual causes for underlie the repeated statements which have been made regardstrengthening, weakening, or otherwise modifying the nervous ing this wonderful subject. I feel ccrtain that it will eventually atomic action, which being hereditary, or arising from individual bc-ccme one of the best means of investigating and discovering modes of life, cannot possibly affect other individuals. the laws and nature of menial phenomena. The subject to There are various instances in the insect world which illus-
character. Of course, any difference in the blood will immediately affect the atomic state of the nervous system, the latter depending so vastly, but not entirely, for its atomic motion on the
trate the
foregoing statement. For instance, two caterpillars of apparently the same genus and same species, the one in one part of the country feeds 011 plant A, the other in another part of the country feeds on plant 15. A is poisonous to the feeder of B, or more correctly, the feeder of B will starve rather than eat A.
We are very apt to look upon the human organism as a fixed result, behaving in the same way under the same conditions. This would certainly be so, if tho conditions were in reality
always
the
same.
Although
to
apparently identical, there our senses cannot apprise us.
us
must be many differences of which Our senses do not apprise us of the existence of the universal ether, and it has required a vast number cf years of constant thought for us, at the present day, to be almost tangibly con-
vinced that there must be such
a
thing
as a
universal ether.
whatever to
which I allude is animal magnetism. One of the great reasons for which men disbelieve any statement that they may hear, is because they cannot satisfactorily account for its occurrence. And hence it is that a statement made in one generation is generally disbelieved, and not listened to, until some strong
intellect,
at
rendering
a
future
the fact
generation, has thought of the means tangible to the minds of the generality
of of
men.
If I were to tell anybody that I had just seen a horse with his rider tumble down, no reason would be seen for disbelieving me, provided I were known to be in the habit of telling the truth. 15ut suppose, a hundred years ago, I had told any one a few hours I had sent a message from England to America and had got back an answer, one would no more have believed me than he would have believed in his ability to fly,
that in
although
up to that moment he may have had
implicit faith
in
January
1.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHOLERA LITERATURE.-BY
1867.]
"Why ? Because my statement -would have been, with his ordinary knowledge, utterly incomprehensible to him.* So it is with the phenomena of animal magnetism. They are so completely out of the experience of the generality of men, and consequently so astounding to them, that tlieir minds at once refuse to believe them. Nevertheless, I am satisfied from
being If
animal radiation in
a
allude to its most
separate work; and, therefore, I shall here
prominent facts,
in order that the reader
understand what I mean with reference to the diffusion of disease.
may
more
fully
by
animal
radiation,
The reader will have no difficulty in understanding that if I a body of the temperature of 100? in contact with another of 50?, the more heated body will communicate to the less heated one a portion of its heat, and will continue to do so
place
until both bodies are of equal temperature. This will occur without the bodies being in contact. If the two bodies are suspended at a distance from cach other in a vacuum, the same result will take place through the medium of the universal
ether, which transports waves of heat motion from the hotter body to the other, until both are in perfect unison. Well, what I mean by animal radiation is a series of waves originated by the vibrations of the atoms of the nervous system of an individual, and transmitted in all directions through the medium of the surrounding ether. These waves are different from, and independent of, the heat waves which the body of the individual is emitting at the same time. If the reader has accepted what I have said about two bodies having two different degrees of temperature, the one having the greater degree of motion communicating a part of it to the other, which has less, he cannot fail to understand how an individual can magnetize another, and Avhy it is necessary that the magnetizer should have a great deal of animal vigor or vital motion; why an individual, who is nervously weak, is more easily magnetized than a vigorous one ; how it is that the magnetizer is able by his own radiation to disturb the independent nervous motion of his patient, and cause him to enter into a sort of sleep ; and how, if all conditions are favorable, by continuing and repeating this influence, he is eventually able to reduce the atomic motion of his patient's nervous system to a state of synchronism with that of his own, and consequently make the whole patient's organism as if it were one with his own; and finally, how the will of the magnetizer is transmitted instantaneously through the ether to the brain of the patient, the will and knowledge of the latter becoming for the time being that of the former. Such a phenomenon is not so tremendously difficult to understand, if we have conceived how it is possible for the motions of one magnet on the eastern side of the Atlantic to repeat themselves cxactly in another magnet on the western side of that ocean. We make no difficulty about admitting and fancy*
The
phenomenon, nevertheless, was
yearn ago than it is
now.
no more an
impossibility
a
hundred
preventing
could discover
light, a
kettle
we or
perfect conductor, and a perfect isolator might by means of a fire or light in
a
read
a
newspaper in America!
radiation, the waves are emitted in all directions; but there being in the vicinity an individual already tuned to the synchronism of those waves, they dash against him and produce in him the same thoughts and will of
magnetism. I say only many, because there are some which I cannot yet comprehend, and which I shall therefore not admit till I can see some satisfactory mode of explaining them. I shall substitute for the words animal magnetism?animal radiation, which will at once render the subject clear and com-
only
we
Ireland boil
of animal
Tyndall's book on " Heat Considered as a Mode of Motion," will prove to be the key which will open many a secret of nature, and divulge io us mines of knowledge, and truths which we do not yet in the least suspect. I intend, if opportunity and leisure permit me, to treat of the whole phenomena of
M. D.
scattered in all directions.
of heat and
the little I have seen, and from what I have heard and read, that there is no doubt about the truth of many of the phenomena
radiation.
BOXAYIA,
ing that we quite comprehend this wonderful fact. It is true that in the case of electric telegraphy there is a connecting isolated wire, but this is merely for the purpose of directing tho electric motion to a particular point, and it from
what I said.
prehensive to the minds of those who have understood, and have devoted any attention to the phenomena of Heat and Light
E.
In the case
of animal
the radiator.
Why one particular individual is affected, and not everybody vicinity of the radiator, I shall endeavour to explain by the following example. Let the reader imagine fifty men standing in a circle, one by the side of the other, and a lighted lamp on a table in the centre of the circle. Let him further imagine that forty-nine of the men are completely blind, and the fiftieth only not so lie would have no difficulty in believing that only one out of the fifty was affected by tho light waves, and he surely would not disbelieve in the phenomena of light, because forty-nine of the men were insensible to it, and therefore considered it all "humbug," or, to use a more elegant term, an ingenious trick. The magnetizer selects a particular individual, because he find3 that one sensible to his radiation, and having made the discovery, and afterwards, by repeated magnetization, tuned him completely to his own motion, he is able, without any direct conductor, to transmit to him his own thoughts and will. It is quite possible that by discovering a good conductor and isolator of animal radiation, some more interesting facts tvill in the
be known which hitherto have not been dreamt of.
far, he will not find it magnetizei; has attuned
If the reader has followed me thus difficult to the
comprehend that,
nervous
motion
of his
after the
patient
to his own,
a
certain dis-
tance, and intervening walls, may offer little opposition to tho passage of the ether waves ; the strength of the waves emitted
by the magnetizer being of possible that some substances
more
importance, although
it is
may act as bad conductors, in the same way that theremre bad conductors of heat waves, light waves, and electricity waves. I think I have said enough to interest the reader in this most and yet unexplored branch of science, and to mako it easy for him to believe that the prominent statements which of the sphere are made regarding animal magnetism, are not out of possibility, however wonderful and incredible they may ap-
important
pear to many. There are various other extraordinary statements which, if true, are referable to this same force?animal radiation. We have heard so often of one individual at a great distance aware of something befalling another?a husband, son, a brother?who may.be far away. For instance, A, a man in India, receives a mortal wound in action. B, his wife in England, is made aware of the occurrence, by a mental distress which brings out vividly in her the idea of some harm
being made
a
having befallen her husband. We are told that in many instances this foreboding has turned out to bo correct. It is very natural to suppose that, if the man were fond of his wife, feeling that he were dying, he would think of her with emotion, and she, being synchronously attuned to him by previous strong affection, would easily be moved. Or, may te, the atomic disturbance caused in his nervous system by the wound, or other sudden cause of death, would repeat itself, to some extent, in his wife's nervous system. The distance is no great objection. It would require a complete tuning of the and
intense
system of the two individuals, a strong mental motion the part of the one, in order to emit strong waves, and a
nervous on
6
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
favorable condition of the ether. The non-concurrence of these conditions may possibly be the reason "why we do not hear of such phenomena more frequently. I have stated before that there must be radiation, more or from all atoms in nature. But only those waves which
less,
initiated by the greatest force have sufficient momentum in them to reach any distance. The waves of heat and light that originate in the sun and stars are of this nature. All are
on our globe can only be felt by us at short distances from the radiating centres, unless the vibrations of our brain-atoms happen to be at the time synchronous with the motion of the waves. In such cases it is not impossible that at long distances very feeble waves may in this way make themselves felt.
radiations from atoms
comparatively
Such statements as I have alluded to are well worth collectif possible, verifying. There is another set of facts ?which cannot be explained, except by the hypothesis of animal
ing and,
We have
radiation. semblance
was
not been any not
very
family
often seen married
couples whose reand between whom there had connection previous to marriage. I do
marked,
know whether there have been instances of resemblance
between husband and wife, in which the two persons hated each other. But I have observed it in several who were very fond of each other, and I explain it in the following manner: The atomic motion of the nervous system of the one is attuned to that of the other, by the oft-repeated percussion of ether waves passing from one nervous system to the other. An equilibrium takes place, aud their features and organs, be-
character and thoughts, become moulded after the same
sides
fashion. If the reader felt convinccd, as I am, that the atomic motion of the nervous system plays a great part in moulding the form and character of an animal, he would easily understand that when the atomic motion of the nervous systems of husband and wife become perfectly attuned, provided there be no disturbing cause, it is possible they will resemble each other. Parents transmit their physiognomy and character to their off-
spring, by transmitting to them their own nervous atomic motion. And_husband and wife come to resemble each other by reciprocal transmission, through the medium of animal radiation, of their nervous atomic motion, thus making, so to speak, A friend of mine one day remarked that one body of the two. he thought European infants nursed by East Indian women,
acquired
some
of the character of their foster-mothers.
His
grounds for so thinking were that in various instances in which bull-pups are suckled by a pariah slut, they become totally different in character from their brothers who were nursed by their mother. lie also remarked that natives of India have an idea that when a foal is suckled by a buffalo, it becomes very fond of the water, and in crossing streams it rolls in the water, after the fashion of buffaloes. If there are sufficient proofs of the correctness of these statements, I think they can also be accounted
own
for to
a
great extent by animal radiation.
At first I did net see that ihere could be any connection between the phenomena and the circumstances said to be connected with them. But thinking over the matter, I came is the result of the action by the atomic motion of the mother's nerve-centres. We know that the influence of the nervous system on the quality of the milk is very great, there having been cases on record in which a fit of the milk poisonous. Milk sucked from the rage rendered mamma is very different from the same milk squeezed out of it and given to the child by a spoon or bottle. When to the
following
of
cell
a
on
conclusion: Milk
the
blood,
stimulated
it passes from the mamma directly to the mouth of the child, it carries with it a vibration synchronous with that of the mother's nervous system. And besides motion communicated to the child internally by means of the fluid which it sucks,
there is the direct motion transmitted by animal
radiation,
the
[January 1, 1BG7-
being in contact -with the body of the mother or nurse during the act of sucking. It often happens that the milk of a wet -nurse disagrees with the child. In such cases, not only the composition of the fluid may he at fault, but also its atomic -vibration. There is yet another class of phenomena which may be explained in a similar way. Most people have on various occasions been astonished at a particular individual, of whom they were at the time thinking or talking, making his appearance, when they had not the slightest idea that he was so near them. From these facta occurring so often, the expression Talk of the devil and he will appear" has arisen. These are explainable on the principle of animal radiation. A person by coming near you, places you within the sphere of his radiation; and it is very probable that at the time he is thinking of you, which circumstance may make the waves more telling on you. The waves dash against the atoms of your brain, raise in them thoughts of the individual from whom the waves were emitted, and you begin to think and talk of him, and are intensely astonished when all of a sudden he makes his appearance. I do not intend to enter any further, at present, on the subject of phenomena connected with animal radiation, because of itself it is sufficiently large to constitute a separate
child
"
No doubt it is connected with all the other in the universe bears some relation to everything else. But I shall merely state for the consideration of the scientific reader that, if the universal ether is a reality, if it is true that vibrations of the solar atoms are transmitted to us by the movements of this ether, as heat and light, then,
branch of science.
sciences,
as
everything
in my opinion, it must be true that every movement of every atom on the earth, whether inorganic, organic, or organized, and more especially the vibration of nerve-atoms, upon which life in the higher animals in. a great measure depends, also creates and emits waves in the surrounding ether." Whether these waves will reach to the distance of a foot, of ten feet, or of miles
more, will entirely depend upon their initiatory and the obstacles they may meet on their way. In conclusion, one might well ask, what have all these or
fifty force,
pheno-
them to be true, to do with cholera ? If they are not true, of course they have nothing to do with it. But if they are true, then they may have a great deal to do with the propagation of cholera from one individual to another, and therefore with the diffusion of cholera. They would establish a new fact?animal radiation. If it is true that, by animal
mena,
one
supposing
man
is able to influence another so
radiation,
completely as
annihiwith his own, through would be far from impossible tor the atomic disturbance of cholera to propagate itself through the same channel, by repetition in other individuals who may be favorably disposed to be atfected by such atomic motion. Having thus far registered my thoughts on animal radiation, 1 shall leave the reader to ruminate them, and take up my discussions and the origin and diffusion of cholera. late his will, and, the medium of the
so
to
speak, ether, it
render it
to
one
speculations regarding All the animal phenomena to which I have alluded in the to the same class. course of this article, evidently belong If, when they occur, some authentic information could be collected regarding them, and published, they might prove very valuable. If any one would condescend to criticize fairly the above, and show whether the whole or a part is not tenable, so much the better.
