Jess
Trachemys Scripta
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2006
- Messages
- 103
I was inspired to post this thread after reading an old edition of SWIFT, in which Mr. Randi reposts information found at the American Antiquarian Society about a floating table. I'm sure I'm not the only one who runs into reports of the paranormal in their historical research, so I've created a thread so we can share with one another. Onto the first bit of historical oddness...!
I was reading the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal from 1852 for my own personal research. In the middle of a serious discussion about the dangers of using too much chloroform, I found a short piece called "A SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION." I tend to think that this is a response by someone's relative to some posthumous criticism, but that may just be wishful thinking. It is, however, an amusing read. Unfortunately, I've been unable to figure out what this is in response to, and no one seems to have responded to this particular letter in the journals I have available.
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Volume XLVI of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal (Part CCLII, Boston, June 1st, 1852) Pg 281-2.
A SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION.
[Communicated for the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal.]
“HOMO SUM DEFUNCTUS,” exclaimed the late S. S., and his remains, soul and body, except a small portion of the “detached vitalized electricity,” which collected about the point of a gold pen in his vest-pocket, having been immediately consigned to oblivion in the pint cup in which he was so fortunate as to be left, the said “detached vitalized electricity” begs leave, in behalf of his late owner, most respectfully to apply the “annihilator” to the fire by which he was so mercilessly consumed. He begs leave to assert that his late owner intended in no way to misrepresent the meaning of the author of the theory, and respectfully leaves it to the candid to judge from the review of the reviewer, whether any such misrepresentations of meaning were made; that the author entirely fails to comprehend the design and argument of the review, especially in thinking the article directed in any degree against him personally, when the reviewer did not even care whether his “vitalized electricity” were attached to a body, or wandered in thin air; that the author adduced but two reasons why he called it “detached vitalized electricity,” and in his first paper affirmed they were of little weight in his own mind, and in the second paper re-affirmed the same; that the late S. S. showed clearly and satisfactorily to many competent judges, from the author’s own language, that what he claimed to be involuntary, was manifestly voluntary action, which is the whole point in dispute, and that on which all “communications” must stand or fall; and that the author has not even attempted to show to the contrary. The said electricity vitalized, detached from the late S. S. was a he, in full of the masculine gender, of its rights and appurtenances possessed, will respectfully leave the author of the theory, till, like the Philistine priests, he shall have picked up his Dagon from the ground, to which, like its prototype, it has pitilessly tumbled for want of power to stand.
Most respectfully,
THE DETACHED VITALIZED ELECTRICITY OF THE LATE S. S., OF STAFF. SPA.
April, 1852
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Anyone have anything to share?
I was reading the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal from 1852 for my own personal research. In the middle of a serious discussion about the dangers of using too much chloroform, I found a short piece called "A SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION." I tend to think that this is a response by someone's relative to some posthumous criticism, but that may just be wishful thinking. It is, however, an amusing read. Unfortunately, I've been unable to figure out what this is in response to, and no one seems to have responded to this particular letter in the journals I have available.
------------------
Volume XLVI of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal (Part CCLII, Boston, June 1st, 1852) Pg 281-2.
A SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION.
[Communicated for the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal.]
“HOMO SUM DEFUNCTUS,” exclaimed the late S. S., and his remains, soul and body, except a small portion of the “detached vitalized electricity,” which collected about the point of a gold pen in his vest-pocket, having been immediately consigned to oblivion in the pint cup in which he was so fortunate as to be left, the said “detached vitalized electricity” begs leave, in behalf of his late owner, most respectfully to apply the “annihilator” to the fire by which he was so mercilessly consumed. He begs leave to assert that his late owner intended in no way to misrepresent the meaning of the author of the theory, and respectfully leaves it to the candid to judge from the review of the reviewer, whether any such misrepresentations of meaning were made; that the author entirely fails to comprehend the design and argument of the review, especially in thinking the article directed in any degree against him personally, when the reviewer did not even care whether his “vitalized electricity” were attached to a body, or wandered in thin air; that the author adduced but two reasons why he called it “detached vitalized electricity,” and in his first paper affirmed they were of little weight in his own mind, and in the second paper re-affirmed the same; that the late S. S. showed clearly and satisfactorily to many competent judges, from the author’s own language, that what he claimed to be involuntary, was manifestly voluntary action, which is the whole point in dispute, and that on which all “communications” must stand or fall; and that the author has not even attempted to show to the contrary. The said electricity vitalized, detached from the late S. S. was a he, in full of the masculine gender, of its rights and appurtenances possessed, will respectfully leave the author of the theory, till, like the Philistine priests, he shall have picked up his Dagon from the ground, to which, like its prototype, it has pitilessly tumbled for want of power to stand.
Most respectfully,
THE DETACHED VITALIZED ELECTRICITY OF THE LATE S. S., OF STAFF. SPA.
April, 1852
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Anyone have anything to share?