TESTING A MEDIUM.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 6 September 1923, Page 5

TESTING A MEDIUM.

CHALLENGE TO FRENCH SCIEN-

TISTS

A challenge to Sorbonne (France? University to repeat the ectoplasm experiments under the utmost scientific control, but without interference with the medium while a "materialisation" is being obtained, has been issued by Mme. Julia Bisson, whose experiences with the psychic subject known as "Eva" last year became the subject of international inquiry, reports the New York Herald. In 13 seances before the faculty of Sorbonne, Eva "materialised" only about an inch of the strange substance called ectoplasm, but immediately swallowed it when a zealous professor thrust a flashlight before her face "to examine the manifestation closely. Eva, at private seances in Mme. Bisson's apartment, as well as before such scientists as Dr. Flammarion, had constantly produced huge quantities of the substance, apparently exuding from various parts of her body, and on one occasion taking almost human form, according to the group of psychic students who witnessed it. But before the'Sorbonne faculty, according to Mmc Bisson, there was an element of doubt and incredulity, and no desire to have any practical result's, all of which worked against the success of the investigation. In fact, only one professor attended all the experiments, the others persistently refusing to assure the subject of proper comforts, although she was constantly under supervision. Mme. Bisson's report is being distributed at psychic seances throughout the world as a preliminary to a renewal of effort, in collaboration with the London group, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Miss Stead, and Sir Oliver Lodge. Eva was married last year, but is now reported to be ready to submit again to psychic control, with confidence that the phenomena will be repeated. Mme. Bisson's chief grievance against the Sorbonne is that it lacks the spirit of research to such an extent that it refuses the most ordinary test of her methods. For instance, satisfied with her own explanation that the phenomena is merely a type of regurgitation of some substance inside the body, the professors, though requested by the psychic, refused to permit an X-ray examination, or to use substances which would throw out any foreign material from the body. Eva also asked to be given a high-backed chair, upon which she could rest her head during the period "under control instead of beingj forced to sit for hours on a small office chair not conducive to the restfxil need necessary to mental research.