I then devised Apparatus B. It consists of two metal handles, which are held in the subjects' hands, each connected by insulated copper wires to a band made of woven copper wire, about 4 feet long by about 2 inches wide. Each band is wrapped round a different part of the subject and thus a closed circuit is made through the subject's body. No electrical apparatus is used, and no suggestion operates, except that the subject naturally expects some reaction.

Experiments With Apparatus B

One Subject

First Experiment.

Connections: left-hand to head, right-hand to waist.

The average reactions are: progressive sense of warmth, relaxation and well-being, slower and stronger pulse, slower and fuller respiration, and progressive drowsiness.

When the connections are reversed, unknown to the subject, the reactions are altered, and ultimately lead to varying degrees of discomfort.

Second Experiment.

Connections: left-hand to head, right-hand to both feet, then reverse.

Average reactions: as for the First Experiment, with the usual reversal for left-handers.

Third Experiment.

Connections: left-hand to waist, right-hand to both feet, then reverse.

Average reactions: as for First and Second Experiments, with the usual reversal for lefthanders.

Fourth Experiment.

Connections: left-hand to right foot, right-hand to left foot, then reverse.

Average reactions: as for previous experiments, but without the usual reversal for lefthanders.

Exceptions have been observed with ill-defined right- or left-handed or ambidextrous subjects, or with subjects with idiosyncrasies, whose reactions, though abnormal, are generally constant.

With right-handers, the circuit which conduces to well-being is made when the left-hand is connected with a part closer to the brain than the part which is connected with the right-hand.

The therapeutic effect is remarkable; mental and nervous disorders, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and eliminatory functions improve noticeably after a few applications. Headaches, rheumatism, lumbago, sciatica, and many other ailments, have been rapidly relieved. In cases of acute insomnia, the effect has at times seemed magical.

The reverse circuit produces unmistakable discomfort, which, when experiments have been deliberately prolonged beyond a certain point, has been known to produce hysterical and other crises, somnambulism, etc. The reaction is generally arrested and then reversed by the simple reversal of the circuit.

I have repeatedly tested my own endurance with many of the circuits which cause discomfort, and have usually been compelled by their intolerably unpleasant effect and against my will, to reverse the circuits after a few minutes.

Both circuits seem to produce a progressive reaction, for a certain time, after which normal conditions return. If the experiment is then prolonged over a number of hours, reactions reappear periodically.

The time taken by a subject to return to normal and the strength of his reactions, vary proportionately from day to day.

It has frequently been observed that the circuit which normally produces well-being, may cause discomfort when maintained for too long, and then the opposite circuit promotes a return to normal conditions.

When changing from a "well-being" to a " discomfort " circuit, there is a time lag proportional to the time spent in the " wellbeing " circuit, and reverse reactions usually only appear when this time has been approximately allowed for. When changing from a " discomfort " to a " well-being " circuit, it seems that relief, evidenced by a sigh, appears after a shorter time lag, and on occasions without any lag at all.

Although suggestion does not operate at the outset of these experiments, the subject soon begins to associate one type of circuit with well-being, and the other with discomfort, and thus he gradually and unintentionally introduces suggestion.

To obviate this, the wires were lengthened, and fitted with switches to enable the operator to reverse the circuits unseen by the subject.

The criticism was then made that suggestion still operated because the subject could hear the switches being worked, and then he could unconsciously produce the change expected of him.

This defect is easily remedied by further lengthening the wires and carrying the switches into another room. It was, however, taken advantage of to give the suggestion of change by producing the sound of switching without actually reversing the circuit, and some reactions against suggestion were obtained.

Lengthy series of experiments were also carried out with Apparatus B as modified by the introduction of switches, with two or more subjects in circuit.

With two right-handed subjects " well-being " circuits were first made with the following connections:—

Left-hand of (a) to head of (b)

Right hand of (a) to waist of (b)

Left-hand of (b) to head of (a)

Right-hand of (b) to waist of (a).

These connections were then reversed and the various experiments made with one subject were repeated with pairs of right- and left-handed subjects and they confirmed the previous results.

For experiments with two or more subjects, one apparatus B is required for each subject, or all wires may be led to a vulcanite board on which any desired circuit can be made, out of sight and hearing of all subjects.

Other conditions being equal, the therapeutic effect seems to increase proportionately to the number of subjects in the circuit.

This can easily be tested in a fever hospital by placing four healthy subjects in a " wellbeing " circuit with a fever patient. This number makes it possible for the head, waist, and hands of the patient each to be connected with a different healthy subject. The circuit may then be completed in any " well-being " order, that is, all left-hands leading to heads and all right-hands to waists, except where lefthanders are concerned.

N.B.—All subjects must be and remain completely relaxed in body and quiet in mind during the experiment.

It may be interesting to note that on two occasions, when experimenting with fever patients, measles cases appeared to benefit from the introduction into the circuit of two subjects who had themselves recently recovered from the complaint; but, of course, conclusions cannot be based on two observations.

The object of all the experiments described above is to isolate the action of a " force " from that of suggestion. They should be followed by experiments to test the action of suggestion when aided or unaided by this " force."

In the four experiments described below, suggestion should be used as indicated in Chapter V, and if, for instance, the image chosen is that of running, the verbal suggestion should give the preliminaries of a quarter-mile race, its start, course, and finish, and should last about two minutes.

To maintain uniformity of power of suggestion, this could be given by means of a gramophone record.

First Experiment.

Three tested right-handed subjects relax, lying on their backs, hands and feet apart, with bands and handles of Apparatus B fitted, but no circuit closed. The gramophone record gives the suggestion, reactions are noted and a period of rest follows.

Second Experiment.

The left-hand of each subject is connected with his head and his right-hand with his waist. Suggestion, notes, and rest as before.

Third Experiment.

One subject remains as in the Second Experiment and the other two are placed in one " well-being " circuit: left-hand of (a) to head of (b), right hand of (a) to waist of (b), and vice versa. Suggestion, notes, and rest as before.

Fourth Experiment.

All three subjects are placed in one " wellbeing " circuit, left-hand of (a) to head of (b), left-hand of (b) to head of (c), left-hand of (c) to head of (a), right-hand of (a) to waist of (c), right-hand of (c) to waist of (b), and right-hand of (b) to waist of (a). Suggestion and notes as before.

The reactions have been found to be progressively strong and lasting in proportion to the number of subjects in the circuits.

I earnestly appeal to doctors, and particularly to neurologists and psychiatrists, to test the sedative value of Apparatus B with their patients, either singly or in groups, in " wellbeing " circuits.

I shall be glad to give full particulars of any apparatus I have used to any scientific body, to any doctor, and to any sufferer who may desire to repeat my experiments.