persons ascending the platform. Each of these took a galvanised disc in his right hand and gazed fixedly on it for about two minutes, the doctor occasionally stroking the foreheads with the back of his hand. When the discs were taken away the eyes were closed and several of the subjects were evidently under the power of the operator, and could be made to fancy and to do in an extraordinary manner anything that was desired. Amongst these involuntaryists was the present writer, who, though not opposing the will of the operator, had no sensation of his influence. He was certainly too “wide awake” to be “caught napping”, and like a schoolboy in disgrace he sneaked into his place while others suited their actions to the word of command. It appeared to be different with the reporter of the Hastings News, who described the effects thus: —
- “We gave ourselves up to no nervous apprehension whatever; in fact, it may be a question whether we gave the lecturer what may be called a fair trial. When he gave the command ‘Now you can’t open your eyes, for the life of you’, we fully expected to be able to contradict him. But, no, not only were the eyelids paralysed, but the muscles above the eyebrow and almost down to the mouth, seemed perfectly rigid. ‘Now you can open them! All right.’, said the doctor, and we were able to open them immediately, but the lids still seemed somewhat paralysed, an impression which scarcely passed off for the rest of the day. He then endeavoured to seal our lips, but only partially succeeded, and then gave up all further attempts, remarking that in our case, he could not control the muscles of the mouth.”
The other young men operated on were Messrs. Skinner, Pulford, and Lawrence (the last named giving up after a time); also two lads, Brooker and Chapman. With these the experiments were simply marvellous.
An Awkward Dilemma
The fourteen houses built by Mr. James Smith (one of the railway contractors) at Stanhope place could only be drained through the sewers under the jurisdiction of the St. Leonards Commissioners, who required 6d. in the pound to be paid to that authority, whilst the property would be rated to the Hastings Board of Health. That being so, Mr. Smith would have to pay double rates, which could not be obviated. He had applied for advice to the General Board, but they could not interfere. The only consolation Mr. Smith could get from the Town Council was that if he “chose to build houses where there was no drainage, he must take the consequence”. Was it, then for such a principle that the Health of Towns Bill was obtained? It will have been seen, however, in the reported meetings of the St. Leonards Commissioners that they were more considerate than the Local Board of Health, by reducing their charge to Mr. Smith from 6d. to 4d. in the pound.
