THE VITAL SPARK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 37, 28 September 1911, Page 7

THE VITAL SPARK.

REMARKABLE EXPERIMENT.

J)r. Patrick O’Donnell claims to have photographed the “vital spark” leaving the body of a dying man at the Mercy Hospital, Chicago, a few weeks ago (states the correspondent of the “London Telegraph”). Dr O’Donnell, in preparing for his experiments, made a careful study of the discovery 6f the human aura, or ‘electrical radiation” surrounding the human body, the existence of which was proved, he says, by Dr. W. J. Kilner, of London, with whom the American phyician was associated some years ago. Dr. O’Donnell is an X-ray expert, and has frequently surprised Chicago physicians by demonstrating to them several experiments whereby the human aura was seen by the human eye. Invited physicians attended his demonstrations on this occasion. Previous demonstrations had been made aud on each occasion four young women were used as subjects. Using a film of dicyanin and other chemicals held between two small plates of glass sealed together, all the physicians agreed that by looking through the screen they could distinguish the auras of all the subjects. The aura developed a strong radiation of light surrounding the entire outline of the body and'head. Satisfied that he hud convinced his physician friends of, tho existence of the human aura, Dr. O’Donnell then, alone, conducted tho experiment which ho declares revealed to him the “flight of a life.” The patient was reported as having only a few minutes to live.

“I looked at the man through a screen for almost half an hour,” Dr. O'Donnell said next day. “The aura was plainly distinguishable. The attending doctor said the patient was sinking rapidly. I did not take my eyes from the’ I subject. Suddenly the physician announced, that death I had occurred. At the same instant the aura, which, ,as a bright light, had been radiated' from the body at all points, began to spread from the body and disappeared. Further observation of the corpse revealed no sign of the aura. I don’t say that this aura is the soul or spirit- 1 -in fact, no one seems to know just what it is. It is, in my opinion, some sort of radioactivity made visible by the use of a chemical screen. It is undoubtedly the guiding power or current of life, however, as my experiment would seem to prove.” Leading American newspapers devote considerable space to Dr. O’Donnell’s report, and, in view of other American investigation of the same subject, nobody seems to be incredulous.