A MARVELLOUS CURE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 November 1907, Page 9

A MARVELLOUS CURE.

INTERVENTION OF A SECONDARY PERSONALITY. (From "Psychical Research.") Arc tho doctors to-day right when they try to minimise as much as possiblo tho hypnotic phenomena which Dr. Charcot's experiments formerly clothed with such a

dramatic and distinguished character? Has the Faculty good reasons for attaching so little importance to tho idcoplastic marvels of imagination and suggestion? One may bo permitted to doubt it, judging by the fact of a really remarkable and typical character, which wo were allowed to witness recently and' of which Cammillo Flammarion has published a resume in tho chief Parisian journals, omitting, however, tho final scene and the interesting episodes that accompanied it, which constitutes ono of tho most interesting traits of this case.

Several'persons were invited on May 8 to tho house of M. Emile Magnin, Professor at tho Ecolo do Magnetisme. Among them wore a number of doctors, and a few persons who had distinguished themselves by their -works on hypnotism and psychical scionco. M. Magnin first delivered the following lecturo: —

"Gentlemen, —I beg you to oxcuse my audacity in inviting you to my house, but I trust you will believo that I. ha vol riot done so presumptuously. • Chance -~ has ' placed within my reach a voryY interesting. - caso, which, by comparison with others, might open up new horizons to us." I have thought it my duty to mako, it known to competent persons. We are all. living, gentlemen, at a perior rich in the miraculous; science during the last century has wonderfully extonded itself; but it has not solved the riddle of tho universe; it has merely shown us how far it is from being solved. Among all sciences, that which has least progressed is certainly psychology, the science ot man. Why? Bccauso it seems to he tho most complex of all. To-day, however, on all sides thero is a constantly increasing . number of students who earnestly desire,to gain some insight into it. To attain this end, or at least to movo in that direction, it is tho duty of all who have been able, to make careful observation in human psychology .to make known the results to those whose competence is indisputable; and also everyone who possesses critical faculty should do his best to assist in the task. Let. us have no more vain imaginations, no more futile hypotheses. Complete,, impartial, calm observation of facts—that is what wo want, and that is what I.dcsiro to lay before you this evening. I will first tell •you the history of this invalid—no, not merely from the physical, but also from the psychical point of viow. It is needless to say that I believe I am justified in having full confidence in tho two persons who have given mo information, on tho matters to which I shall refer. I will then submit to you the diagnoses of tho very able doctors who attended her beforo I did, as well as that of the doctors, Pau do Saint-Martin, Granjean, and Dichl, who examined hbr before I took up the case. I will also lay before you tho different kinds of treatment given, and their effects. The inval i is hero; but, as the possiblo effects of suggestion in such cases nave to be guarded against always, I think it better that she should not attend tho lecture upon ■her case. I noed scarcely say that, after I have related tho facts.you are at liberty, to. examine her. at your leisure, and to compare hor present condition >jwith. . that ".,of . two months ago, as testified to by the,medical 'diagnosis. Examination. Mile. 8., 28 years of age. Hereditary antecedents: the mother died, of pulmonary tuberculosis at the ago of 36. 'I he father died accidentally from congestion duo to sqvero cold,, at tho age of 61. Collateral an r tecedonts: a.brother died at the. ago of ; ' eight of tuberculosis. A brother, still living, agod 24, has contracted tuberculosis. A sistor, still living, is in good health. Personal antecedents:—Her constitution is weak; she has always been sickly. ' A first severe cold in tho chest at four years'old, a second at twelve, and a third at' .fifteen. Bronchial attacks every winter.' At the ago of. twenty. she frequently fainted, and was extremely feeble. At twenty-five she began to spit blood, and to cough. The spitting of blood did hot cease until I took' up the case. From hor earliest years she has always suffered from obstinato constipation'; From the psychic point of 'view it is important to note that, becoming an orphan at a very early age, she was brought up by an aunt who never showed her any affection. Sho was overburdened arid ill-treated; her affectionate character has suffered from this fact,' and iti does not seem to me 'impossible that one may find in •this fact'the origiu, of,her neuropathic tompcrambnt.. As soon as she reached her majority she escaped, to a lady friend; who has from then up to the present time acted towards hor as a veritable adoptive mother. Commencement of the Actual Illness. In January, 1905, slie gave hersolf a blow with a hammer on the .left side at the base of the noso; it became very swollen, and was not attended to. In March her strength became much diminshed, and she neither ate nor slept. She consulted Dr> 13——, who gave her, in succession and without results, a whole series of sporifics. Tho spitting of blood increased, with a rise of temperature; she was prescribed, in turn, treatment of ergotinc, creosote, gayacol, tannin, etc. In April tho weakness became more and more intense, and her legs would no longer carry her; she went to bed to remain bedridden. She took tonics, and her intestines were electrically cleansed,, but without 1 the least ''result. Hor stomach became more and more distended, and intestinal paralysis .necessitated periodical extraction of ' matter by manual moans,; the vesical paralysis necessitated frequent 'pumping. Meanwhile the condition of the lungs became very serious; she had fits of coughing without expectora-. tion, for she swallowed what was brought up; there was daily spitting, of clots of blood, often followed by syncope. The invalid was lying, an inert mass, stretched on hor bed; only her arms could move, and this sho did as rarely as possible. She could slightly movo her hoad to the right, but as soon as she was raised, her head fell .back on. one side or tho other. The face was very pale and thin, but her gaze was vivacious. She could not sit upright on her bed, as there was no rigidity in her backbono; and tho attempt thus to move produced,syncope. The stomach was very distended, and tho swollen intestines were outlined on the coats of' the abdomen. The logs wero inert. In order to move them, she would .seize with , both hands the . muscular- portions of her thighs. Tho' lower, limbs showed a, marked diminution of temperature.

, The emaciation was not . very pronounced, the muscular parts atrophied • particularly in the legs, wero replaced by subcutaneous cellular tissue. • The rcctni tcmpnraturo was generally 99.50 (37.50 C.) and rose in the evening to 102.20 (39 C.)deK. Phychological Antecedents. This clinical examination held out no hope or chance of cure. But healing should not bo merely physical, it should bo also psychic ; it should not limit itself locally, but should apply itself to the whole life. J. therefore insisted, in spite of the weak state of the invalid, on questioning her, as well as her adoptive motlior, on her psychic-con-dition. I was obliged to oxorciso much prudence and patience for, in the invalid's family, these matters had' been kept secret, being regarded as diabolical manifestations. 1 learned that, the youngest brother of" the sick woman, who died at the age of eight years of tuberculosis meningitis, was subject to visions, and had, from his tendcrest years, made predictions which had all been realised; be healed sick persons. .■ His parents kept him in coneoalnieut during the whole course of his short life. Tho father of the invalid was also subject" to visions, biit did not care to acknowledge the fact; he appears to have interested himself in occultism. The invalid horsolf never experienced visions nor any supernatural occurrences in her childhood, but she witnessed on September IS of lust year when she was paralysed, an occurrence which has played

a role of capital vhilpp'rtanco'','in lief:'ouro'j at that time she had never beard anyone speak of me. • .

"I think, gentlemen, that at the present timo evcryono is nioro or less convinced that we are witnesses' of facts which confound all hypotheses, hut scientific niori 'know that a fact is a fact, ffid,'inu'sk';bo''roiuutMncA:ovon if it should destroy all the hypotheses in tho world! What I«am. about .to relate,; seoms to me quite accurate, but,l know, gentlemen, that you can .., only ; aecopt it when verified. I inako, no comments on the fact; I give it-to'you as" it has : been given' to mo.; In the present .coridition.iof, .human knowledge, wo..;,canjiot, ,J„ repeat, reject a;/ fact, as was. dono fifteen years, .ago,, only because it sooms''tb' , 'us?tb' coiit'radict .what, we hold to be the This'fa'ct'is,'perhaps, even most probably, of purely subjective origin; but-itdoos not scorn to -mo-the less iutorosting.on. that account,-.,,. • - The Second Personality.,. • ■■: :- "On September 18," "she told'.hie,' "at two o'clock in'tile nvoriilng,' I was : awakoy when suddenly my lamp wont out; I re-lit jt, and I observed that there -was.-still 'oil in it; it wont -out- again, In-the.,absolute darkness I saw then, through the_. door . lead T mg to the vestibule,-which was partly open, a light in tho,.'kitchen,'"then 'I distinctly heard: ' Can ymr'-enduro 'the trial-? '■/! replied: 'Yes.' 1 'I-then saw a-'long ' delicate hand approach' me holding a'>torch which lighted up tlie whole room, and. I read abovo. me:,' On May S,you.,.will:.gct vis-: ion slowly disappeared,,, and, ' after'' a fow minutes of lamp-,re-lit itself/'; Convinced thnV'liy -exaggerated ■'Geepticisrir. or misplaced distrust'-wo'.frequently "pass over important, i'facts, il accepted-this,,liar-', rative as a natural ..phcnoincnciiu. ;,.-, . ~......•■ It should ho qb.seryod that.'tho invalid .was not ..alarmed, but' simply moved,;; which'is generally the cale : 'with persons'wlib'p'ro'ducb' psychic phenomena.-/-- .':':'.-':": .;...:.::..'- This story was repeated to me' by the adoptivo mother of tho girl, and a third time, by a nurse whom sho ;hatl at the' t-ime; there, woro only insignificant cliffordiiccs between -thethroe accounts. - ; ' s - '■' "•":'.'- j.'-. r. •.;; ,:, : "I askod the'-'invalid if slid'had seen- tlie hand again; slio-Yeplied,■'I'Np',-''l'-haV.B never seen it again, '-but" I should - recognise--■"■ it' among a thousa'iidl-'v ' y!.'-';-,'- "■'■■ - '"■'■'■ ;';•••" I epmo to: thb.'cpnclus'ibti tliat," for tho'sakeof tho invalid, T'mustmako the 1 most-of this' vision; and I placed all my 'hopes in the awakening of a secondary personality. I took care, 'however, -nbt-'-tb" make-any-suggestion lest I should giWblrth 't6"a"'ty'pical-6bjecti-vity, to ono of ,a 'thosO : pseudo-personalities without or will;, suclras-'are.so easily obtained iri.'hypriosis! 'It-is,' -however.'' most probable tbati I;,was,not.mentally inac-,| tive, and that,'without wishing to do so, I telepathically influenced -thd creation of i the' secondary personality;' of wiiiohiLaui-about-to.. speak to you. ::;;;: ;:r'\. ~;.':-.•:,: ;.,'; •-:!••■.■...' The Treatment.!-'i.'-"'i-'' .V.-..- .--■<•- : ; . Ist. March.—On/.jblip advicb,' of .these''throe, doctor il tried to."pr6ducd,,-bither ; by, passes or by the magnetic,laying,on;of hands or,.by. suggestion, a diminution of- pain, and', if .pbs-,' sible, to induce'sledp. This'Avas "all"tliat could bo expected. i;!a)sp produced.sedative...action on tho abdomen„'by .cirqular magnetic passes,., Tho patient slept,peacefully; I promptly observed, but .only.par'tiallyj; indications of oxtcruahsation of.'sensibility. .1. lot. her sleep for two hours. ; a,-few; days her condition remained stationary. .1 mado her sleep for'about two~hourSypii.'th6 occasion of each daily, visit. , ','j t-... ; ,V,.' -: '~ On March temperature.fell sudden?.' ly.to 35'dogreeS;, f '(,The, i pains in tho abdomen I woro intolerable. were given, then tho abdomen was'.'.'magnetised in a stato. of, hypnosis ;sho fell .i'nto.arsomnambulistic state, and told mo thaj'-jshd .saw electricity, escaping from my fiijgorsj and' sljdjromarked'that iit. was moro intense, in/ the bright, hand, than, ■in the left; sho'maintained tliat^this.electri--city penetrated.into the intestines,, and that this gave her great relidf. ~.,...,' .'..!.'!../.., • March Sth.—Teincpbrature !37i degrees,' The abdomen was leflg',attended.,'- and,, painful-.. She slept fbr.some.hpurs'iir jtho a soponfic. Her' 1 face,ldokcxl>'betteiv'lier.'voice 1 , was stionger, /tbhe'.';improv,ed,/,.L put he- to sleep,, i\'na;magnotis.od tlie abdomen specially. When slip-said to -me softly, "There i^]'aip'retts ; '.lady.'neaf,'you, slip. is always besidejjypjii',' ijh'p sometimes .ppiiids,. to see me." The ..patient, gayo'-a. description which, although'.brief',-, seems 'to 'agree'/with, that of a personality' wild:'was., once.,plos'ely. connected with ,(ijb, ,and of. whom. I certainly had thought involuntarily!' L.asked a'qiK-s----tion, but tho p'atieht'.'did riot'reply ;!.she. fell spontaneously into,;a i ,liypnotic, state few. minutes latbr sljc^'socmcd...to, bo: suffocating; sho stretched lidr arm's but" in'front'of Her, her hands forcibly...extended, ami,,l caught with difficulty the; •words,." Help-me! Help nio!" .1 massaged ;the..Uiryhx,'and';liGroatho(l severii times oii^'tKeVncart.Vsayi'hg,','.','.Here is strength for ypu", „'talio, it.'', moi'o distinctly,"," JdcJp' ; me. to descend?into this little one.",,', Tjich, a' few~mih'utes.."after.? wards slio hoave.d',!a,.dcbp,.sigl\','?-thd,.fqcd'ire-.; laxed, she mo'vei:l t .-aiid. turned hpr head.,-; slid 'made an otfort'to BJt'uj),'!' helped hor'tb,dd' : •so;- sh3.remained'sit't'ing'up,.'q'uitb.str^iglit;', The Shirt Moves. *jy" ''"/"". T"-.. ''"; '' Stupefied andj .with. emotion—which,: im my opinion, has somc'itnportanco.to.thofacts tor corded —I said-to. the personality, ■"'lf. it- is you who are here).;and"Wlio have made'tliis patient sit iip„;yoi.i;,can. inako;.Jier,.:'Walk'," and',' with an encouraging -gesture,' iß.threw back the bodclothes. >,-T-hen I-saw.the- patient slowly, and without;apparent the right leg and lat;,'jt : iall .Jilo'ng .the .§icle, of tho bed, then pl.acing, the. w,eigltt.:.of„h.er boily. on the other hip, -the left: leg .■was.-.placeel-alongside the right; 'the two.feet.wefoion tho. ground with tflp/ines," turned inw.ards, ,'tlio : legs stiff; -iho \waS;, leaning against,-the bed. At tlvi moment-I-ropeated, ! : 'Walk ;• you can do • Her fpot I ,ro l se..bne,after;the,-otheiv and twice she )valkr,d;To.U!Hl thoilTopni.,.lJer hands wore joinqdv'lier head raised; shel was looking upwards,;' little' by- little^hor .expres-' sion changed; therp,' was. a. veji'tab.lb transfiguration, and j, do .not think I,]a'm. diverging from the truth''wlioii' I claim! to,have seen a faint halo round' the licad'of^tlid.patient, of the nature described by..Dr,,,J'c'r.e..,, | -At two stops from the lieu her body bout, her hdail fell back, her legs'wavprodj.'l caught her himy' arms and ''put.'.' lib'r'"!)ack,,~ih'.bcd." ."I,

again qiiestione(l Ml this' secondary personality, but received no, reply. Half an hour later 1 awoke tho patient' j she did riot seem, fatigued: Without' appoariiig,'|o,'do'. so, "I. assurxtl'jnyßelf. of the state.of, cqninletp. anuicsia. J. l'j;cssxn;o on the, mnemonic centre, at'tjio : base of' the nose between the':!eyes,.'only caused'''her. to romomber what.,.'h.ad_'-p'assed. in Ithc'; hypnotic' stato_intermediat'oj between primary personality and the secondary personality,, but absolutely n6th'ihgVwhigh,_ha'd' , pass'od .in the trance state; shcuiid..iVotj';th.erefoVov>oiiienir her having calmer and her I 'vbico" better;'"'sH'e : I 'haa. : :.s)ept i Maxell 9,' I found tho pa'tiont'wit'i lief faco for several hours.

On March. 11 ,/DjriJG rancljcari. jfqund.evident, amelioration in.'"lie'r"general condition;. but ho again ' confirmed, .the dia'ghojsis,. above given, of tho.'3|;ateVof,'.he.r',lu«gs,f,ot'., the abdomen, of tho 1 vertebral colinri. '

, March 15 was .a very bad day; shp-.had much pain in tli'tf''ilit'cstiilos; .tiifr.'spitt'jng; .of blood was nioro' ffcqijcnfthan.'over, she jiad several attacks oTsyncopo,''witli' suffocation. I put her to s|l>e'p, and'acto'd on tho lungs and abdomen by circular passes'.. $.lio passed sponts neously iift'o'''tho' third sthtoV; that of tranci in which, tho new personality manifest vi tho contraction of tho the forced extension, of the hands, followed by "a dcoivsigh. After a Ion; conversion, wliifch"}'ou'"will,."gentlemen, pormit mtJf/;'liot'; to* repeat/''because of its intimate character,' she said to"me J '"l l Yom: henceforth she wlir.'be able "to hbld'licr head straight, and to; use her arms,-niid she will not lning up any-more blood. Yon will euro hor completely iryou have confidence."- Then sho throw back^thp.-bedclothes; and, of her own accord, exercised her muscles; bending her logs, and moving her feet and tops.-; On awaking, sho had no recollection of this. I continued'the injections every two days. '■■''- On March 16'-slio' slept for sever hours without awaking; she told mo joyfully that this morning her little v -friond had told her to stretch out hcr»hhnds, that she had touched them, and that sho felt now force penetrato her limbs. .-■•.■

Immediately .afterwards' sho wrote mo a l'ottcr, which was'-'a-thing'she had not'ilono fortv.ent,Y-throi}' J fi)oli l tlis'; slio,n(lded ; 'iilß6 f tliat she had not brought'up any. blood all*day. The homoptyses"teascd"'donnitely/'from;that day. ...■■■'• ■ .i,.: . ~„■ .v, ..- ~

Oil March', 17" sliti-'fclt^fromHho- titno sho invoko, prickings/and quiforing£'in : tho T ;upper part of lier thi^Ks.';'l .'oxainiiile'd hoYJ'.awl

observed, without attracting hor attention to the matter, that sensibility had returned, ' covering a space of about four-inches on tho two legs inside and 'outside. 'J put tho pationt'into State 11, which ;s -fhat of somnambulism ; I made her go through inecliaiiothorapic passivo exercises; she suffered in tho groius. I put her into. State HI; the personality said to me, "She will feel pain until sensibility: is restored to every part of her legs." "When will that be?" "Sensibility will, ho. restored by degrees'of ton . centimetres' (four inches) at a time; it will bn completely -re-established on .Wednesday, March ;27." - •

1 At once-1-measured the leg and foot, the result was. 102 centimetres; that allowed ten '. 'dayvpxnetly from March 17 to Alarch 27. I, . nskod tho date of tho complete cure; tho' personality roplicd, " She will be completely cured outlay 15." "What will that be?"' &he,replied-without hesitation, "A Wednesday. ; I consulted my calendar; this was: correct. On awaking there was the usual! nmnesia; it is' needless to say that I wag.' Careful »ot t 0 impart to hoi- what her "littlo' friend : had told mo. Those indications being-' ..usually, given to mo. in a low-voice, no ono except the' personality could have commanded them tp her. . ' '■•'■ According to the prediction, sensibility was restored in degrees of ten centimotrcs each ,day, and reached the toes on March 27. Tho abdomen: was "almost normal; thoro was a littlo rumbling in the bowels. • ■ "■ . ..March 18.—She made a few voluntarv abduction movements ,in the lower limbs:"itching' ill the groins, and the s'amo prickings and. ' quiverings in'the sensitive zone. In State 1 ' II I made her _oxecute the passive meclinno- i thorapic - exercises; tho samo pain in, tho'''' groins. ■.. .■ ';'March' .30.—Tho 'movements of abduction and addiictioiv of tho limbs: arc perfect;.v-- ; strength returning. Sho slopt-for.ten hours -last- night. In State 111 -she told mo that.. On April 15 the patient would bond her legs'. •- On- awaking, there was the'same amnesia. April 2—She stated that she had twica felt a clesiro to obtain a motion of the bowels, hilt had not had! the strength to '' |-actually do-so.- .--, .

;,.,.-April 3.—There was abundant aud normal .action of tho. bowels. Movements progres-' sivp. In State 111 sho told mo to rub tha spmo with'linseed .oil, and then to rub it' with garlic lintirthere was a re-action; she assured me that tho dorsal depression would gradually diminish and ultimately- disappear. Slip gave Wednesday, May S; as tho date at which the patient Would recover thd use .other logs/ and sho confirmed .tho promise that on tho.lsth-of the samo month she would ■ bo-; definitely cured..without passing , through any stage of convalescence-; and Would ho in; better health than over she had been in her life. Complete amnesia. April m every direction. In, Stato III; sho- walked in tho presence of Dr. Grahdjoan, r ,who recognised that there was obvious improvement in stability and in movo-' monts with resistance " '.

''.' April 12.—The patient affirmed that sinco, tho friction of- tho spine sho had pains every dayfor two hours, and that these did not' cpasp.until there had been a cracking in the • vertebra:.. In. State 111 she predicted to mo: that/on tho following Thursday, April 25, tho.-patient would bo able to free her heel' yroni tho bed and raise hor logs, and that". "on : Jlay ljsho.would ho able to sit up. ; April .15— As usual, I caused mechanb-' thorapic movements to bo mado in thd legs, foot,, and toes, and I ordered her to bond; thorp' was only ari attempt at bending; graduiilly, ";and-">. with tho encouragement of her • '3tt|o;fi:iond,";- , and-in spite of sharp pains,, sho succeeded in making a complete flection with .both • logs on tho date indicated—tho pains, in tho spine increased daily. In Stato ill.,she'assured mo that the. pains', in tho spino were; the-result of operations going on, and'thatthoy could not bo avoided, that the patient must put up with thorn, and that sho would make her understand this. From this day the patient mado. no further -complaints. /April 25—Sho lifted a foot from the bed, 'and could raise both legs by the date in. dicatcl. I.tried to make her sit up, tho spiiie was not ridd, and the sharp pains were caWiyhby the'effort.

.:."'. J te;l'~y r - P au do Saint-Martin accom. ■ panidnid. Ho made a prolonged examination at.the patient. He no longer found anything abnormal m -,tho lungsy ho affirmed,.,,; th"at' ; 'thd,"depression of the.dp'rsal vertebral. r in long'tii' and dcptli; ' lib'''Sffirm'bd ''the disappearancd' : of the left ""' convexity in the cervical vertebra;. -The abdomen: was still somewhat distended, but this'Hiis.not to be compared with the condition bbsorvod on March 14; deep palpation could- ho given without tho least suffering. .'.'•' She now slept for twelve hours every ' 'night, j She ate well, and oven swallowed egg's bctwoen meals. Wc .tried, Dr. Pan, do SaintMartin and I, to place the patient in a sitting pesturo, but without success; she at once, -turned'pale as if sho had made a great effort. J A/few: minutes' later the patient whispered j* 'to"mo' that•,her ."little friend" was at the ■foo't'w tho, bed,.-. :. ■ that she held out her ■arm's;to 'her. ,'. , and told her to coino 'towards' hor. : . .' and'" with a strong offort 'she'"lnnt'forward, her spine stiffened gr'adu- ' 'ally','^lhd-slid'was sitting up on the date'in- ; dica'ted. In-State 111 I made her walk;' slip ' 'also'peiformcd exercises, of. bending tho legs, • , Tand got u]) on thd bod, which was fairly , high,: quite alono. I tried to make her. ■stand,j out her- logs- seemed like those of, a Punchinello; encouraging suggestions from ; Dr; Tan do; produced no result, which deserves to be noted. The general conulition,, both physically and.mentally, was excollonti '■'- •'"■ " : ' From that day,' Jlay 1, tho cure followed ' a normal course, mid there was no important ' feature to, report.v '■ "• ' ■'" .'