MACHINE TO PROBE SOUL

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3718, 9 November 1926, Page 2

MACHINE TO PROBE SOUL

AMAZING POSSIBILITIES FARADISING THE BRAIN Enormous possibilities arc opened up by a wonderful new machine, the invention of a German scientist, which, it is claimed, records human emotions, measures love and hate, defines the will power of an individual, and is capable of recording practically every mental capacity. • Dr Hissky, a German psychologist, is the inventor of this mechanism, which is termed an “ imluctorium,” giving an electric current which, when applied to the skull of the subject, “ faradises ” the brain’s reaction centres and so enables the operator to read various capacities for emotion and intellectual activity.

“There is nothing impossible in the claims put forward,” a leading British scientist informed a ‘Sunday Chronicle ’ representative. “ The brain is, of course, the physical mechanism through which the soul of man expresses itself, and measurement of the reactions of the brain centres, if it can be accomplished in this way, determines the nature of man’s soul and his capacities for good and evil.

LOVE OR GREED? “Immense possibilities are opened up by the instrument. Assuming that it is developed along rational scientific lines, and operators are trained in its use, the measurement of love and hate should be possible. “For instance, assume that a young man declares himself in love with a girl, and there are modifying circumstances —the girl is wealthy, or some ulterior motive exists for his marrying her. With this machine it should be possible to determine just how far his protestations are genuine, and whether his motive is real love or self-interest.

“ Another use would be in cases of jealousy, which is the cause of half the unhappiness in the world. A jealous wife,, by the use of the machine, could ascertain the precise state of her busband’s mind, and assure herself either that she has or has not cause for her suspicions.” In order to test his machine to the fullest possible extent, its inventor, Dr Bissky, has paid a series of visits to various German prisons, where, with the permission of the authorities, he has applied his machine to the convicts in order to get records of their emotions and thoughts, and then compare the records with known data.

At one of the prisons he was permitted to apply the machine to the members of the prison staff. As a result, he. declared that the machine revealed more pronounced criminal tendencies in the governor and warders of the gaol than in the convicts under their charge. The method .of using the machine consists in application to the skull of the subject, with a view to ascertaining the various reactions of the brain. According to German medical specialists, including Dr Rainier, who witnessed the prison experiments made by Dr Bissky, the machine is incapable of registering the finer emotions. Dr Rainier gives it as his opinion that it is possible to reveal definite tendencies on the part of individuals.

PROBING THE SOUL. People more than normally fitted for the pursuit of such professions as music, sculpture, painting, etc., can he distinguished from ordinary intellects by means of the new machine in its present state, and already an institute at which “ probing the soul ” is practised has been opened in Berlin. A number of Dr Bissky’s machines have been installed in the institute, and vaiious subjects of different, nationalities have already presented themselves for analysis of their capacities. Developments of the principle of the machine are already looked for, and its use is anticipated in the domains of medicine, law, and religion—to mention only the most obvious purposes to which it can be applied. In medicine it will prove an immense aid to diagnosis, enabling the physician to judge by the brain reactions of physical defects or lesions. Malingering will become an impossibility, while diseases can he recognised in half the time taken for diagnosis at present. AID TO THE LAW.

In the domain of law, the use of the machine will prove an immense aid. The science of criminology will be enormously simplified, and it is anticipated that the use of the machine, defining the limitations and possibilities of tlie individual so very clearly, will supplant the present finger-print system of identification.

No murderer will be able to deny his guilt satisfactorily, for the machine, recording the reactions of Ins brain to suggestions of his crime, will inevitably detect his guilt. Thieves will convict themselves as soon as the machine is applied to their skulls, and will also identify themselves in the minds oi the police in the event of future lapses. Deceit in domestic life will become a thing of the past, as soon as Dr Bissky’s invention comes to be developed to its fullest capabilities and generally used. Infidelity on the part of husband or wife will ho open to instant detection, and ‘even cooling of the affections will be registered and its extent shown. DISTRUST TO VANISH. Dr Bissky claims that the machine already records all the emotions of which the human soul is capable, hut other scientists who have investigated his claims allege that it is susceptible to far finer gradations ul measurement of fooling than have yet been achieved. It is 'further prophesied that the machine in its final state may revolutionise tiie whole world, lor its general use will put an end to political insincerity and the intrigues resulting Ironi it, and will bring about trust between men by revealing their inmost motives and intentions. Distrust, will vanish from till 1 world by means ol the “ inductoriiin),” and a real brotherhood ol nations will result Irom its use. “ Such a result is inevitable,” it is claimed, “ lor distrust is only based on ill-will, and (hat in turn is a quality which no man would openly possess. This machine will put an end to secret ill-will, ami so will render anything but Rankness and straight dealing impossible.”