For this same reason, touching for the king's evil did no doubt effect many cures. The royal progresses were announced some time beforehand, and the sufferers along their route had often weeks in which to cherish the exexperiment is not recommended, as it might have a fatal issue. Vide an article on ' La Mort Simulee,' by Dr. G. Tourdes, ' Dictionnaire Encyclopediquc des Sciences Medicales,' Paris, 1875. * Vide note in Appendix, p. 409, 'Spiritual Healing.' pectation of healing, in itself so beneficial; and in those days of faith, when a belief in the divine right of kings was universal and strong, the touch of the royal hand must, except in the most hopeless cases, have had a stimulating effect which may often have caused a healthful reaction. Even in our own times, a royal touch, accompanied by kindly words, has good effect. We read in the 'Life of Victor Emanuel,' * that in 1865, when the cholera was raging in Naples, and the panic-stricken inhabitants were migrating by thousands from the city, the king, wishing to give his people courage, went the round of the hospitals. 'He stood beside the sick-beds, and spoke encouragingly to the patients.' Before one of those already marked for death, the king stopped, and taking his damp, frozen hand, he pressed it, saying, ' Take courage, poor man, and try to recover soon.' The warm grasp of the hand, the strong cheerful words, the recognition of the king's face, had an agitating effect on the dying man.

That evening the syndic visited the king, and said: 'Your Majesty's coming is a joyful omen. I am happy to tell you that the doctors report a diminution of the disease in the course of the day, and your Majesty has unawares worked a miracle. The man you saw this morning stretched for death is out of danger this evening. The doctors say the excitement of your presence caused the salutary crisis.' In Carpenter's 'Physiology' † numerous examples are given demonstrating the influence of the mind and imaginative faculties on the different bodily functions, and we have only to consider a moment to recall many personal experiences pointing in the same direction.*

* 'Life of Victor Emanuel,' by G. S. Godkin, vol. ii., p. 213.

† ' On the Influence of the Nervous System on the Organic Functions,' chap, v., ninth edition. Perhaps the most striking example of the power of the will and imagination to affect function, and even to initiate it, is afforded in a few rare but well-authenticated cases collected by Dr. Dunglison (' Human Physiology,' vol. ii., seventh edition), and quoted by Carpenter, in which strong desire to furnish milk, combined with continued irritation of the nipple by the infant's mouth, has brought about a secretion of milk in the mammary glands of childless and unmarried women, and even of men. The not uncommon occurrence of pseudo-pregnancy, with production of all the subjective and many of the objective symptoms of real pregnancy, under the stimulus of a strong desire for children, affords evidence of the power of auto-suggestion. The historical case of Queen Mary is a familiar example.

Sir Lauder Brunton gives several examples, showing how vigorous belief on the part of a friend may avert what appears like inevitable death. For instance, when Melancthon was lying very ill, and apparently dying, Luther was sent for to see his friend. On his arrival, he said: 'You must not die, Philip; we cannot spare you.' 'Oh, let me die quietly,' said poor Melancthon. 'No, Philip, you must not die,' was the reply, followed by an impassioned prayer that Melancthon should live. The effect was soon apparent; the tide turned and the sick man got well. I am not informed as to whether Luther often practised the healing art, but it is certain that most religious leaders and pioneers, from Mahomet † to George Fox the Quaker‡ and John Wesley, have occasionally exercised the power of curing the sick. There are some remarkable cases in John Wesley's 'Journal.' For instance, he writes:

'Friday, 16th October, 1788. Immediately after a strange scene occurred. I was desired to visit one who had been eminently pious, but had now been confined to her bed for several months and was utterly unable to raise herself up. She desired us to pray that the chain might be broken. A few of us prayed in faith. Presently she rose up, dressed herself, came downstairs, and, I believe, had not any further complaint.'

Again: ' Wednesday, 24th April, 1782. So on Friday I got to Halifax, where Mr. Floyd lay in a high fever, almost dead for want of sleep. This was prevented by the violent pain in one of his feet, which was much swelled and so sore it could not be touched. We joined in prayer that God would fulfil His word and give His beloved sleep. Presently the swelling, the soreness, the pain, were gone; and he had a good night's rest.'

* A friend of mine was house-surgeon many years ago to Sir James Paget. He was a Plymouth Brother, and felt it his duty to speak seriously and rather terrifyingly to patients after operations. Sir James, himself a man of great piety, forbade my friend's untimely preaching, saying it depressed the patients and 'didn't give his operation a fair chance.' On several occasions I have been asked by surgeons to arouse a hopeful spirit in patients before an operation, and at other times to inspire them with a desire to recover when there was despondency, and even a wish ' to die and have done with it.'

† See ' Life of Mahomet,' by Sir William Muir.

‡ 'Annals of the Early Friends,' by Jane Budge.

Father Ignatius is a recent example of a spiritual leader working semi-miraculous cures, if the testimony of his followers is to be believed. * The Salvation Army holds regular services for manifestation by cure of the sick. Dr. Schofield gives accounts of extraordinary results he has seen.

Some years ago the theosophist leader, Colonel Olcott, described to me a healing tour he made in India in the interest of his propaganda. He seems to have performed some remarkable cures, and he was most candid in his account of his proceedings. His approach to a town or village was always heralded with much ceremony, and people were told to bring out their sick to him. He passed them in review, and selected those he thought fit subjects by a test well known to mesmerizers. Telling the sick person to look steadily into his eyes, he made a few 'passes' down the body, and if the patient followed the hand he knew him to be susceptible to hypnotism and worth trying suggestion on. The cures, then, were confessedly hypnotic.