TOPICS OF TALK.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 212, 21 March 1873, Page 6

TOPICS OF TALK.

"We gladly—very gladly— congratulate the district and ths contractors, on the result of the Sludge Channel tenders. It is satisfactory to know that this work will be undertaken by men of sound practical knowledge; by men who are interested indirectly, as well as directly, in the success of the scheme, and who also are able to command any amount of labor, while at the same time, they know thoroughly what that labor is worth. Messrs. Farmer, Creighton, and Green have, however, no easy task before them, and will need every encouragement and all the support the district can afford. Of course, at the same time, they can expect no more consideration in the actual execution of the work, than any other contractors ; for the public, interest is at stake; and where that is so, individual interest must be totally disregarded.. A competition in the labor market, if not carried too far, will be beneficial in attracting, properly remunerating, and keeping employed, the best men. If men do not get wages to suit them at the Head Race, they can try the Sludge Channel, and vice versa. All eyes will now be on the way in which this contract is , gone about. Gentlemen who are the sharpest of critics, must not be surprised to find their own doings pretty closely watched. However, they can rest assured, that they have public feeling, so far, at any rate, altogether with and for them.

Mr. Macakdrew and his man Fri-. day must have astonished the meeting of Church folks at Lawrence, by their unexpected^—and apparently uninvited —attendance. Mr. Macandrew seemed to, feel a little like a fish out of water, for on being called for to make a peech, he pleaded ignorance as to the object of the meeting, and made some general remarks on ventilation.. Mr. Macandrew is a first rate man for his position as Superintendents—a man who ifl understood, and understands the requirements of the country ; but he certainly is not fitted to .shine at meetings of Presbyterian divines, and Congregationalist abstainers. '■ Messrs. Menzies and Roseby must have felt keenly, the incongruity of Mr. Macandrew asking the meeting .to sing the psalm, " Behold how beautiful it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Apart from the merits of the political storm, would, or would not, Mr. Donald Reid : say "amen?",

The power of volition has always been employed by medical men, as far as-practicable. It is known to every one.how skilful physicians insist on keeping up the spirits of the patients, even when hope is almost out of the question, maintaining what some consider a justifiable deceit to prolong, if possible, the vital spark. -A powerful will sometimes seems capable of setting all laws of phisiology at defiance. Dr. Cheyne relates as an instance, the case of Colonel Townshend, "who had, like the Fakirs of India, the power of simulating death for alengthened period. To point a moral, we should add that, like the pitcher that went too often to the well, he got broken at last—for he died not seemingly, but really in the, course of his last experiment. Some people not only can use this power of willing on themselves, but also oh others. It was laid down by a writer, in the sixteenth century, one Pomponatius : " That the person operating should have great faith, strong'imagination, and a firm desire to cure the patient, and the confidence of the patient contributed to the efficacy of the remedy," and Yon Helmont about the same time more pointedly still stated " That the effect produced is in proportion to the energy of the will in the operator, and the weakness of the person operated on " Jn 1674 a French commission was appointed by the king, to examine, and give him an account of " animal magnetism " as . practiced by Mons. D'Eslon, a pupil of Mesmer's. This was the commission lately referred to by Dr. Dunn, in his controversy with Professor M'Gregor. It is worth while to enquire a little into the results they arrived at, though our limits will not allow of more than the state-

rnent of a few striking characteristics. Five separate reports were the result of this commission. The first was a report furnished by Mons. Thouret to the Royal Society of Medicine, entitled " Researches and Doubts on Animal Magnetism," and the other four were special reports, based on the comparison 6f Mons. Thouret's report, with the actual practice.of magnetisers and clairvoyant healers. The mode.of operating they found in vogue, was peculiar. "TJie patients were plar-ed round what was called the bucket (baquet) —simply an oval wooden tub, pierced with holes, through which polished iron rods were passed—on chairs one or more rows deep. The rod was directed towards the seat of the malady, and several, coils ,of the cord, attached to the rods, were placed round the parts affected with pain. These were considered to be conductors of the magnetic fluid, though no evidence was furnished or observed by the commissioners that any conduction took place. The doors " and windows were closed, a soft and feeble light only admitted through the curtain, and silence was observed. The air became heated and vitiated. The appearance of the apartment disposed to reflection and meditation, which was only interrupted by yawning, sighs, sobbing, convulsions, lamentations, signs of impatience, &c. Towards the end of the sitting, a pianoforte was sometimes played. The effects produced by these and other processes, were observed to be very varied. Some patients were calm, others coughed, spat, felt pain, heated, and were thrown into a perspiration, others were agitated and convulsed. The convulsions .were extraordinary for their number, their duration, and their violence. "Nothing" say the commissioners "can be more astonishing than the sight of these convulsions ; patients are seen seeking each other exclusively, and precipitating themselves towards each other—all being under the authority of the whose voice, look, or sign, rouses them, or acts as a soporific. It is impossible not to recognise in these constant effects * a great power' which agitates the patients, and obtains the mastery over them, and of which the magnet-' isers appear to be the depositary." This " power" is what we last week designated as "a mysterioustruth,"affording a handle for imposition of the grossest description. Milton appears to have known as much about it in 1634, as we do now. When Comus appears to the Lady, to practise his vile enchantments, he is represented as saying : Nay lady sit! If I but wave this wand, Your nerves are all chained up in alabaster ; And you a statue, or, as Daphne was, Koot-bound, that fled Apollo.

And the Lady replies : Fool! do not boast; Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind With all thy charms, although .this corporal rind Thou hast immanacled, while heaven sees good.