Phenomena of Materialisation: A Contribution to the Investigation of Mediumistic Teleplastics

538 Pages·2018·13.83 MB·English

by  Albert Schrenck-Notzing

PHENOMENA OF MATERIALISATION
PHENOMENA OF
MATERIALISATION
A CONTRIBUTION TO
THE INVESTIGATION OF MEDIUMISTIC TELEPLASTICS
Is
BARON VON SCHRBNCK NOTZING
PRACTISING PHYSICIAN IN MUNICH
TRANSLATED BY
E. E. FOURNIER d’ALBE, D.Sc. (Lond. and Birm.)
Author of “The Electron Theory," “Two New Worlds,"
“ New Light on Immortality," etc.
Reissue of the First English Edition
WITH 225 ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO. Ltd.
NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.
1923
Preface to the First German Edition
“Nothing is too wonderful to be true.”—Faraday.
It is not without some misgiving that I publish in the present work
the results of four years’ observations of the medium Eva C. For the
observations of mediumistic phenomena hitherto made, do not, up to
now, in spite of their continuity and their independent agreement, and
in spite of the high reputation of the authors whose names vouch for
the facts stated, fulfil the requirements of an exact scientific method.
This may, however, be due to the character of the occurrences
themselves.
Any dealings with the discredited so-called “ spiritistic ” phenomena
are attended, even now, by certain disadvantages to the investigator.
Not only are his powers of observation, his critical judgment and his
credibility brought into question, not only is he exposed to ridicule
by the reproach of charlatanism—as, for example, was the famous
criminal anthropologist, Lombroso—but he even incurs the danger of
being regarded as mentally deficient, or even as insane, as was the
case with the astronomer, Zollner, and the English chemist, Crookes.
The open or secret opponents of scientific men thus discredited
are in the habit of deriving some advantage from the destruction of
their scientific authority. Recognising this fact, the well-known French
psychologist, Charles Richet, has for the present entirely withdrawn
from any dealings with the forbidden subject.
As to the means sometimes adopted by those who wish to prove
the supposed fraud underlying mediumistic phenomena, the experience
of the author furnishes an instructive contribution. Convinced that
the author was the victim of expert deceptions practised by two
women, i.e., the medium Eva C. and her protectress Mme. Bisson,
somebody secretly and without the author’s knowledge instructed a
well-known Parisian detective office to watch these two ladies. The
employees of this firm, besides gathering the necessary information
about the medium herself, also gained illegal possession of a number
of photographic copies of the negatives obtained during the experi­
ments, though these were the exclusive property of the author and
his collaborator.
In spite of the unwelcome annoyances to which these two ladies
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VI PREFACE TO THE FIRST GERMAN EDITION
were exposed by the tools of this anonymous agency, not only in the
street but in their domestic and family life for eight months, the
agency did not succeed in furnishing any proof of fraud or in finding
the firm which supplied what they supposed to be the material required
for the sittings, in the way of hand-shapes of all kinds, of veils,
muslins, plaster casts of faces, or portrait drawings of four entire
phantom images. One can hardly imagine a more miserable fiasco
of this well-meant, but incorrect, method of serving the truth, if the
alleged fraud had actually taken place. One remembers that in the
case of the German flower medium, Anna Rothe, and the Australian,
Charles Bailey, the purveyors of the objects required as “ apports ”
during the sittings were easily found, even without spies. Clever
detectives are in the habit of solving more difficult problems in a
shorter time than was available in this case.
Though we may condemn the method here described, we must
acknowledge that a healthy scepticism and an open, benevolent and
reasoned opposition may contribute to the elucidation of mediumistic
problems. For they lead to the subsequent testing of the objections
brought forward, and thus often to an improvement in the methods
of investigation.
The great astronomer, Johann Kepler, was right when he said
“ Only resistance awakens slumbering forces. The works of foolish­
ness perish. They must further what they seem to hinder. But that
which comes from the fountain-head is eternal.” Since all honest
investigation means a step forward in knowledge, the author has, in
spite of all these hesitations, made up his mind, after a twenty-five
years’ experience on the subject of mediumship, that he will no
longer withhold from the public the four years’ observations with
Eva C. For, possibly, we may succeed in again directing attention
to a dark and unexplored side of human Soul Life, and in particular
to certain problematical psycho-physical effects, and, furthermore,
furnish an incitement towards further tests.
Whatever view we may take of this question, we cannot deny that
the method of experiment employed in the observations with Eva C.
and Stanislava P. marks a distinct step in advance in comparison
with former similar investigations, so that further progress along the
same road may yield even better results.
The present work records in as impartial a manner as possible,
and with the avoidance of attempts at explanations which would, at
present, be premature, observations and occurrences in the case of the
medium Eva C., which were objectively recorded by free photography.
The majority of the experiments took place in Paris, and the author
has stayed there as often as possible in order to continue these studies.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST GERMAN EDITION vii
During his absences the sittings were regularly continued under the
accepted conditions, and in this case his collaborator, Mme. Bisson,
made considerable use of the author’s photographic apparatus.
In order to give a continuous view of the development of the
mediumistic phenomena during that time, nearly all the photographs
taken by Mme. Bisson herself, dating from May 1909, are also
published, as well as numerous personal observations made by her
(e.g. on the spontaneous occurrences of the phenomena), which were
facilitated by several years of her joint residence with the medium.
These communications furnish a valuable and necessary supplement to
the author’s own experimental material. Besides, the reports could
often be confirmed by a subsequent repetition in the author’s presence
of such occurrences as were, in the first instance, observed by
Mme. Bisson alone, so that there is no occasion to doubt the correct­
ness of these supplementary reports. The photographic plates were
always inserted by the author himself during his experiments. They
were developed also in his presence either by Barenne & Co. (Rue
Duret 27 bis), or in Munich by the Photo-Chemical Institute of
Dr Hauberrisser (Dienerstrasse 19).
The majority of the materialisation phenomena photographed were
also taken as stereoscopic photographs, but these could not, from
considerations of clearness and brevity, be reproduced in the present
work.
Since in the first year, on account of the imperfect working of the
flash-light apparatus, the photographs were often failures, certain
situations of some apparent importance were reconstructed, according
to the records, by the welcome assistance of the painter, Karl
Gampenrieder. Such pictorial representations cannot, of course, be
regarded as substitutes for photographs, and they only claim a
relative value as graphic renderings of certain interesting moments.
In the present year (1913) the author had the unexpected opportunity
of observing materialisation phenomena in the case of a young Pole,
Stanislava P., whose mediumistic powers are not yet sufficiently
developed. These observations took place at Munich under similar
conditions as with Eva C., but in a less rigid and convincing form.
The independent agreement of certain performances of the Polish
medium with those of Eva C. is so striking, that certain selected
photographs from these sittings, together with explanatory notes, are
added to this work in a special chapter.
As regards the criticism of the occurrences related in the case of
the medium Eva C., such men of science must be acknowledged
as qualified in the first instance who command adequate knowledge
and a special study of the subject of Physical Mediumship. He
viii PREFACE TO THE FIRST GERMAN EDITION
who has not read the works of Lombroso and Zollner, nor is acquainted
with the several years’ investigations of Sir W. Crookes, will possibly
arrive at an erroneous conception or even a denial of the results
communicated. But new acquisitions of knowledge must not be
judged according to their probability or improbability ; they need not
be swayed by temporarily dominant scientific dogmas or by popular
opinion.
Even though, at the present moment, we cannot comprehend the
strange capacities of mediums, we have not to deal with “miracles”
in the religious sense, but with occurrences happening fairly regularly
under certain conditions, though their causes and laws are at present
unknown. As Richet justly observes: “ Nothing is touched that
belongs to the classical treasury of science.”
Let the reader then approach without prejudice and with an open
mind the study of the present work, and let him not be shaken in his
judgment by prevalent opinion, nor by the numerous failures and
disappointments hitherto encountered in the history of “Occultism.”
As the author was guided in his experiments, so may also the
reader be guided by the words of Frederick the Great: “I seek the
truth everywhere, and respect it wherever I find it, and I submit to
it whenever it is shown to me.”
ALBERT VON SCHRENCK NOTZING.
Munich, 15th October 1913.
TRANSLATOR S PREFACE
This first English version of Dr von Schrenck Notzing’s Materialisa­
tions^ hcenomene embodies not only the original volume but also the
more important parts of the supplementary work entitled Der Kanipf
um die Materialisations Phmiomene, published early in 1914, as well
as certain subsidiary material accumulated since these researches
were first made public. The English version has been prepared in
consultation with the author and with Mme. Bisson, and it may
be taken to represent their results and views as finally arrived at
in 1920 and embodied in the forthcoming Second German Edition.
The English-speaking public has, therefore, now an opportunity
of studying these remarkable results at first hand. The present work
is unique, in that it gives a full scientific account of a set of strange
occurrences observed under the strictest conditions of control, and
as yet quite unexplained. With admirable candour the author takes
us into his confidence, and publishes his results in full, regardless of
the dangers of misinterpretation by superficial and prejudiced critics.
It cannot be expected that the facts here stated will be readily accepted
as presented. Nobody believes facts merely because they are true.
They must also link up with other facts, they must fit into our
prevailing habits of thought, they must be “useful” in the sense
of leading to workable practical conclusions. But any intelligent man
may safely be challenged to read through this work with an open
mind, and then deny that the case for the reality of the phenomena,
and for the novelty and abnormality of their mode of production,
has been completely established ; and once that point of view is
attained, the new branch of knowledge will soon find its place in the
intellectual inheritance of our race.
The translator is convinced of the authenticity of the phenomena,
not only from the perusal of this work but from the opportunities he
had, through the kindness of the Society for Psychical Research, of
witnessing some of the phenomena presented by the medium Eva C.
in London. He does not venture an explanation, but agrees in the
main with the author in regarding them as a new, or rather a hitherto
unexplored, function of certain human organisms. He also takes the
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X TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE
author’s view that a spiritistic interpretation has not, so far, become
unavoidable.
In reading the reports of some of the Sittings one cannot help
regretting that certain excessively severe precautions to eliminate the
hypothesis of fraud should have been considered necessary, and hoping
that the physical and emotional martyrdom undergone by the French
medium should suffice to silence the most ruthless and exacting critic,
and so pave the way for more humane methods of investigation. That
the medium has retained her mental and moral equilibrium through
so many years of experimentation is entirely due to the wisdom,
patience and devotion of Mme. Bisson.
The world is now for the first time in possession of a Monograph
on these mysterious and much-controverted phenomena, investigated
by a trained observer, and recorded by him with the aid of great
scientific resources. The work demands, and is entitled to, an
unprejudiced and respectful hearing. The verdict as to its value
in the advancement of knowledge can be safely left to an enlightened
public opinion.
E. E. FOURNIER d’ALBE.
London, August 1920.
CONTENTS
PART I.—1909-1913.
INTRODUCTION.
PAGE
General and Historical . . . . . . . . i
On Method in Mediumistic Investigations . . . . . 14
Facts and Hypotheses . . . . . . . . 28
PHENOMENA WITH EVA C.
Sittings in May and June 1909 (Paris) . . . . . . 37
Sittings in November 1909 (Paris) . . . . . . 44
Sittings in May and June 1910 (Paris) . . . . . . 50
Observations in Biarritz . . . . . . . .57
Sittings in October and November 1910 (Paris) . . . . . 59
Sittings in December 1910 and January 1911 (Paris) . . . .80
Sittings in March and April 1911 (Paris). . . . . . 86
Sittings in May and June 1911 (Paris) . . . . . . 91
Further Observations in June and July 1911 (Paris) . . . .97
Sittings in July and August 1911 (St Jean de Luz) . . . .99
Further Observations in September 1911 (St Jean de Luz) . . . 1 1 5
Sittings in October and November 1911 (Paris) . . . . 1 1 7
Observations in December 1911 (Paris) . . . . . . 134
Sittings in December 1911 and January 1912 (Paris) . . . . 137
Observations in March and April 1912 (Paris) . . . . . 145
Sittings in April 1912 (Paris) . . . . . . . 147
Psychical Phenomena . . . . . . . . 149
Sittings in May and June 1912 (Paris) . . . . . . 156
Observations in June and July 1912 (Paris) . . . . . 169
Sittings in July, August and September 1912 (Munich) . . . . 171
Sittings in October and November 1912 (Paris) . . . . . 207
Observations in December 1912 and January and February 1913 (Paris) . 216
Sittings in February and March 1913 (Paris) . . . . . 222
Observations in March, April and May 1913 (Paris) . . . . 228
Sittings in May and June 1913 (Paris) . . . . . . 2 3 1
Observations in June and July 1913 (Paris and La Baule) . . . 243
Result of the Microscopic Examinations . . . . . . 2 4
XI