Abstract
EARLY this year (January 6, p. 18) we referred to the proposed formation of a body to be called “The International Institute for Psychical Research”, and expressed the hope that the men of science who had allowed their names to appear on the circular announcing the new organisation would see that whatever investigations were undertaken were in accord with what science demands of such inquiries. Apparently it has been difficult to secure these essential conditions, for Prof. D. F. Eraser-Harris, who was announced as the research officer of the Institute, informs us that he has resigned that position. When he invited a number of scientific friends to serve on the Committee of the Institute, he was under the impression that a laboratory was to be provided, but he now finds this is not so, and that there is a lack of appreciation of what scientific investigation signifies. It may be recalled that Prof. Elliot Smith, who was advertised a short time ago as president of the Institute, resigned a few weeks ago on account of ill-health. We understand that most of the chief men of science whose names were advertised in the list of members of the Consultative Committee of the Institute have also resigned. In connexion with the subject of psychical research, Prof. Fraser-Harris, referring to the article “From a Correspondent” in NATURE of May 19, p. 747, writes:—“There is one circumstance not mentioned by the author of the account of the experiments of MM. Osty (1932) on the unknown powers' produced by Rudi Schneider. It is the fact that, between the medium and the sitters on one hand and the recording apparatus on the other, there was interposed a sheet of muslin stretched on a wooden frame. Clearly, the medium on one side of this partition, even with all his limbs free and surrounded by any number of accomplices, could not have played any tricks with the apparatus on the far side of the partition. (A photograph of this screen is on p. 54 of Revue Metapsychique. 1932. No. I.)”
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Science and Psychical Research. Nature 133, 864 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133864a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133864a0