"30 Years Among the Dead":     by Dr. Carl Wickland   -click  Here

     Dr. Carl A. Wickland, M.D took it upon himself to help dis-incarnate spirits realize that they are in fact "dead", or without a physical body, and then send them to the spirit world with the help of mild electro-shock/static treatments, his trance medium wife, her spirit guides and other "enlightened spirits".

                                                      Chapter I

Inter-Relationship of the Two Worlds The reality of an invisible world surrounding the physical world is for many difficult to comprehend, since the mind sphere is often limited to the visible and tangible; however, it requires but little thought to realize the constant change of matter as it occurs in three forms, solid, liquid and gaseous, in its range back and forth between the visible and invisible. Visible nature is but the invisible, the Real, made manifest through a combination of its elements; science informs us that fully ninety-five per cent of vegetation is derived out of the air, or atmosphere. Is not mankind living at the bottom of an invisible ocean, the atmosphere, which is even more important to physical existence than any of the visible physical substances, since life can continue but a few moments out of it? Nitrogen gas, constituting the greater bulk of the atmosphere, enters vitally into vegetable and animal growth and existence. Hydrogen and oxygen gases are constantly changing from a state of invisible vapor to visible and solid form. Carbon offers another example of similar transformation. Sounds, odors, the thermic law of heat and cold. and multitudes of other phenomena, ranging from the infinitesimal electron to the energy which moves the planets and suns, are all intangible, invisible factors. All activities, whether chemical, vital or mental, operate invisibly, as observed in chemical affinity, in energy, in plant life, in animal life, in intelligence and mentalization. So in every department of our manifest physical nature it is evident that all elements have their root and permanence in the invisible. The invisible is the source of the visible. Thus when we realize that the objective is only a combination of invisible substances and forces, the existence of an unseen world is readily comprehensible. Considering the wonderful advancement of science into the field of nature's finer forces, it is inconceivable that any thinking mind can fail to recognize the rationale of the independent existence of the human spirit apart for the physical body. No subject has been better authenticated through the ages and in all literature than that of spirit existence and a future life. Fiske, the historian, says: “Among all races of men, as far as can now be determined, ancestor worship” (contact with the spirits of the departed) “was the earliest form of worship . . . prevailing in Africa, Asia, China, Japan, among the Aryans of Europe and the American Indian tribes.” Allen, in his “History of Civilization” writes: “Rude tribes the world over are found to have ideas of a human soul, a spirit world, and generally a belief in immortality. Savages consider the next life simply a continuation of this; they also recognize an other self which has mysterious powers. Death is the abandoning of the body by this mysterious other self, which is conceived of as still existing in the near neighborhood. The loves and hates of this world are transferred to the spirit world.” Confucius said: “Bemoan not the departed with excessive grief. The dead are devoted and faithful friends; they are ever associated with us.” The writers of classic times – Socrates, Herodotus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Horace, Virgil, Plutarch, Josephus, Maximus of Tyre - repeatedly refer to spirit existence as a well known fact. Cicero wrote: “Is not almost all heaven filled with the human? Those very gods themselves had their original here below, and ascended from hence into heaven.” That early Christianity recognized spirits is too well authenticated in the writings of St. Anthony, Tertullian, Origen and their contemporaries to require emphasis. The Bible is replete with references to spirit existence. “We also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.” Heb. 12:1. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God.” 1 John 4:1. “The spirits of just men made perfect.” Heb. 12:23. “There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body . . . First that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual.” 1 Cor. 15:44, 46. Many other similar biblical citations might be given. Swedenborg contributed volumes on this subject. Dr. Samuel Johnson said: “I do not believe in spirits - I have seen too many of them.” John Wesley wrote in “The Invisible World”: “It is true that the English in general - indeed most of the men of learning in Europe - have given up all accounts of witches and apparitions as mere old wives' fables. I am sorry for it, and I willingly take this opportunity to offer my solemn protest against this violent compliment which so many that believe in the Bible pay to those who do not believe it. Such belief is in direct opposition, not only to the Bible, but to the suffrage of the wisest and best of men in all ages and nations. They well know that the giving up of witchcraft is in effect giving up the Bible.” That psychic phenomena occurred at the house of Mr. Samuel Wesley, father of Rev. John Wesley, at Epworth, and continued with noises and disturbances of various kinds for many months, is well known. Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Longfellow, and many other poets wrote with profound understanding of the continued existence of man. We are all familiar with the convincing results of the psychical research work of modern scientists, philosophers, ministers, physicians, psychologists and other investigators - Prof. Crookes, Alfred Wallace, Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rev. R. J. Campbell, Archdeacon Colley, Rev. Newton, Rev. Savage, W. T. Stead, Camille Flammarion, Dr. Baraduc, Dr. Janet, Prof.Richet, Cesare Lombroso, Dr. Hodgson, Dr. I. K. Funk, Prof. James, Prof. Hyslop, Dr. Carrington and many others. Dr. Thomas J. Hudson, author of “The Law of Psychic Phenomena,” wrote: “The man who denies the phenomena of spiritualism today is not entitled to be called a skeptic, he is simply ignorant.” The Rev. Dr. George M. Searle, Rector of the Catholic Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City, said: “The reality of the existence of spirits in modern spiritism is no longer an open question, even among scientific men who have examined the subject. Any one who considers the manifestation of them as mere humbug, trickery or delusion, is simply not up to date.” “In our times no one denies the real existence of spiritualistic facts, except a few who live with their feet on the earth and their brains in the moon,” wrote G. G. Franco, S. J., in “Civilta Cattolica.” “Spiritistic phenomena are external facts which fall within the range of the senses and can easily be observed by all, and when such facts are attested by so many well informed and credible witnesses, it is useless, as well as foolish and ridiculous, to fight against proved evidence. The facts remain assured, even for reasonable men.” The spiritual world and the physical world are constantly intermingling; the spiritual plane is not a vague intangibility but is real and natural, a vast zone of refined substance, of activity and progress, and life there is a continuation of life in the physical world. On the physical plane of expression the soul obtains knowledge through experience and contact with objective things, and intelligence finds itself by manifesting through physical organs; in the spiritual plane progression of the individual continues, the mind unfolding along lines of reason, through spontaneity of service, the attainment and appreciation of high ideals and an ever broadening conception of life's purpose. The change called “death,” - the word is a misnomer - universally regarded with gloomy fear, occurs so naturally and simply that the greater number, after passing out of the physical are not aware that the transition has been made, and having no knowledge of a spiritual life they are totally unconscious of having passed into another state of being. Deprived of their physical sense organs, they are shut out from the physical light, and lacking, a mental perception of the high purpose of existence, these individuals are spiritually blind and find themselves in a twilight condition - the “outer darkness” mentioned in the Bible - and linger in the realm known as the Earth Sphere. Death does not make a saint of a sinner, nor a sage of a fool. The mentality is the same as before and individuals carry with them their old desires, habits, dogmas, faulty teachings, indifference or disbelief in a future life. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Prov. 23:7. Assuming spirit forms which are the result of their thought life on earth, millions remain for a time in the earth sphere, and often in the environment of their earth lives, still held by their habits or interests. “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” Matt. 6:21. Those who have progressed to the higher spirit world ever endeavor to enlighten these earthbound spirits, but the latter, due to preconceptions concerning the hereafter, labor under the delusion that the departed are “dead,” or are “ghosts,” and often refuse to recognize their friends or to realize their own condition. Many are in a state of heavy sleep, others are lost or confused; troubled minds may be haunted by fear of the strange darkness, those conscience stricken suffer in anguish or remorse for their, earth conduct; some, impelled by selfish or evil inclinations, seek an outlet for their tendencies, remaining in this condition until these destructive desires are outgrown, when the soul cries out for understanding and light, and progressed spirits are able to reach them and aid them. Lacking physical bodies through which to carry out earthly propensities many discarnate intelligences are attracted to the magnetic light which emanates from mortals, and, consciously or unconsciously, attach themselves to these magnetic auras, finding an avenue of expression through influencing, obsessing or possessing human beings. Such obtruding spirits influence susceptible sensitives with their thoughts, impart their own emotions to them, weaken their will power and often control their actions, producing great distress, mental confusion and suffering. These earthbound spirits are the supposed “devils” of all ages; “devils” of human origin, by-products of human selfishness, false teachings and ignorance, thrust blindly into a spirit existence and held there in a bondage of ignorance.

The influence of these discarnate entities is the cause of many of the inexplicable and obscure events of earth life and of a large part of the world's misery. Purity of life and motive, or high intellectuality, do not necessarily offer protection from obsession; recognition and knowledge of these problems are the only safeguards. The physical conditions permitting this impingement are varied; such encroachment is often due to a natural and predisposed susceptibility, a depleted nervous system, or sudden shock. Physical derangements are conducive to obsession, for when the vital forces are lowered less resistance is offered and intruding spirits are allowed easy access, although often neither mortal nor spirit is conscious of the presence of the other. This encroachment alters the characteristics of the sensitive, resulting in a seemingly changed personality, sometimes simulating multiple or dissociated personalities, and frequently causes apparent insanity, varying in degree from a simple mental aberration to, and including, all types of dementia, hysteria, epilepsy, melancholia, shell shock, kleptomania, idiocy, religious and suicidal mania, as well as amnesia, psychic invalidism, dipsomania, immorality, functional bestiality, atrocities, and other forms of criminality. Humanity is surrounded by the thought influence of millions of discarnate beings, who have not yet arrived at a full realization of life's higher purposes. A recognition of this fact accounts for a great portion of unbidden thoughts, emotions, strange forebodings, gloomy moods, irritabilities, unreasonable impulses, irrational outbursts of temper, uncontrollable infatuations and countless other mental vagaries. The records of spirit obsession and possession extend from remotest antiquity to modern times. Dr. Tyler, the noted English Anthropologist, in his “Primitive Culture,” says: “It is not too much to assert that the doctrine of demoniacal possession is kept up, substantially the same theory to account for substantially the same facts, by half the human race, who thus stand as consistent representatives of their forefathers back in the primitive antiquity.” In Muller's “Urreligionen” we find: “The general belief of the barbaric world today is that such attacks as epilepsy, hysteria, delirium, idiocy and madness are caused by some demon gaining control of the body.” Homer referred repeatedly to demons and said: “A sick man pining away is one upon whom an evil spirit has gazed.” Plato held that demons obsessed mortals. Socrates speaks directly of demons influencing the possessed (insane). Plutarch wrote: “Certain tyrannical demons require for their enjoyment some soul still incarnate; being unable to satisfy their passions in any other way, incite to sedition, lust, wars of conquest, and thus get what they lust for.” Josephus says: “Demons are the spirits of wicked men.” Obsessing or possessing spirits are frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. In I Samuel 16:23, we read: “David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.” So common was the belief in spirits and spirit obsession in the time of the apostles that the ability to cast out evil spirits was considered one of the most important signs of genuine discipleship, and it must be admitted that a considerable portion of the work accredited to Jesus was the casting out of demons. A few quotations from the New Testament will suffice. “Jesus gave his twelve disciples power against unclean spirits, to cast them out.” Matt. 10:1. “'Jesus preached . . . and cast out devils.” Mark 1:39. “A certain mad which had devils long time . . . Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man . . . He that was possessed of the devils was healed.” Luke 8:27, 29, 36. “Vexed with unclean spirits.” Luke 6:18. “The evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:12. “Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit ... And he asked his father: How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child ... Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.” Mark 9:17, 21, 25-27. (Similar occurrences are not at all uncommon in psycho-pathological research.) Among the writers of early Christianity we find that St. Anthony says: “We walk in the midst of demons, who give us evil thoughts; and also in the midst of good angels. When these latter are especially present, there is no disturbance, no contention, no clamor; but something so calm and gentle it fills the soul with gladness. The Lord is my witness that after many tears and fastings I have been surrounded by a band of angels, and joyfully joined in singing with them.” Tertullian with authority challenged the heathery to a trial of superiority in the matter of casting out demons. Minucius Felix, a Roman advocate and apologist, wrote in “Octavius”: “There are some insincere and vagrant spirits, degraded from their heavenly vigor . . . who cease not, now that they are ruined themselves, to ruin others.” Dr. Godfrey Raupert, of London, who several years ago was especially delegated by Pope Pius X to lecture to Catholic audiences in America on Spiritualism, said in substance: “It is no longer possible to put the subject of psychic phenomena aside. The scientific men all over the world have recognized spiritism as a definite and real power, and to shelve it is a dangerous policy. Consequently the Pope has asked me to tell Catholics the attitude to take toward the subject ... The Church admits the reality of these spiritistic phenomena and their external intelligences, in fact, it has always admitted their reality. The problem at present is to discover the nature of the intelligence. We are now on the borderland of new discoveries which may revolutionize the world. It is not the time yet for an explanation of all the phenomena. We must suspend our judgment until the subject is better known. The study of spiritism is a new one and therefore dangerous . . . A partial knowledge of the subject may cause grave dangers.” (Resulting in obsession or possession.) “There is no doubt about the fact of diabolical obsessions in the olden time. That the Church (Catholic) recognizes the possibilities is evidenced by the rules prepared for exorcising,” is the quoted statement of Monsignor Lavelle, Rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York. Julian Hawthorne wrote, in one of the leading newspapers: “Thousands of evil-minded and evil-acting men and women die every day. What becomes of their souls, or spirits? They want to get back here . . . the increasing boldness and frequency with which they take advantage of their opportunities is illustrated in many ways. . . Two acts of defense are open to us. We may stop the source of supply of these undesirable visitors and we may close the doors.” Dr. Axel Gustafson', who publicly acclaimed his views regarding the fact of spirit obsession, in quoting cases which had come to his attention, said: “The spirits of the revengeful have power after death to enter into and possess the living under certain conditions.”

 Prof. Herbert L. Stetson, of Kalamazoo College, Michigan, stated, in a lecture at the University of Chicago: “Demon obsession is no myth; illness is often due to demoniacal possession. . . . Belief in demons is widespread.” “I often see the spirits who cause insanity,” is the statement of Dr. E. N. Webster, of the mental section of the American Medical Association. “At times I even hear their voices. Insane persons who are spoken of as hopelessly insane are frequently lost under the overwhelming control of a spirit or crowd of spirits. We frequently find by post-mortem examination that no physical disorder exists in the brain or nervous system of such persons.” Prof. William James wrote in “Proceedings S. P. R.”: “That the demon-theory will have its innings again is to my mind absolutely certain. One has to be 'scientific' indeed, to be blind and ignorant enough to suspect no such possibility.” Prof. James H. Hyslop, while editor of the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, wrote: “There is growing evidence of the fact of obsession which lies at the basis of much insanity and can be cured. The medical world will have to wake up and give attention to this problem or materia medica will lose control of the subject.” In one of Prof. Hyslop's latest books, “Contact with the Other World,” we find the following: “The existence of evil spirits affecting the living is as clearly taught in the New Testament, and implied in the Old Testament, as any doctrine there expounded. . . . The term obsession is employed by psychic researchers to denote the abnormal influence of spirits on the living.... The cures effected have required much time and patience, the use of psychotherapeutics of an unusual kind, and the employment of psychics to get into contact with the obsessing agents and thus to release the hold which such agents have, or to educate them to voluntary abandonment of their persecutions. . . . Every single case of dissociation and paranoia to which I have applied cross-reference has yielded to the method and proved the existence of foreign agencies complicated with the symptoms of mental or physical deterioration. It is high time to prosecute experiments on a large scale in a field that promises to have as much practical value as any application of the scalpel and the microscope.” In “Modern Psychical Phenomena,” Dr. Hereward Carrington states: “It is evident . . . that spiritual 'obsession' is at least a possibility which modern science can no longer disregard, while there are many striking facts in its support. This being so, its study becomes imperative-not only from the academic viewpoint but also because of the fact that hundreds and perhaps thousands of individuals are at the present moment suffering in this manner, and their relief demands some immediate investigation and cure. Once grant the theoretical possibility of actual obsession, and a whole vast field of research and investigations is opened up before us which demands all the care, skill and patience which modern enlightenment and psychological understanding can furnish.” Never before in the history of medical science has there been such widespread interest, by the public at large, as well as by medical men and public officials, in the subject of the cause, treatment and cure of nervous and mental diseases. Statistics show that insanity is increasing with alarming rapidity everywhere, yet medical experts differ widely as to the causes of mental deterioration, and science is not yet in possession of knowledge of the exact etiology of functional insanity. “The whole world will go mad before long,” declared Dr. Winslow of England.

The greater number of neurologists and alienists entertain the belief that the active and underlying cause of insanity has its origin within the deranged nervous system, but very little as yet is actually known of the true cause. Dr. W. M. L. Coplin, Director of the Bureau of Health and Charities, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said “Insanity, in most cases, is unaccompanied by any perceptible change in the brain structure. The brain of the patient, when examined under a microscope, shows absolutely nothing which differs in any way from the appearance of the brain of the perfectly sane person. It is therefore evident that the insanity might be due to toxemia, the effect of some subtle organism in the nature of bacilla.... Something causes insanity but what it is, we do not yet know.” Dr. Britton D. Evans, Superintendent of the Morris Plains, New Jersey, Insane Asylum, stated: “Brain tumor or brain fever may not affect the mind.... A man may have trouble of the brain and still have a normal mind.” Dr. Th. Ziehen, a noted German alienist, and an authority on hysteria, wrote: “For many functional neuroses there is as yet no accurate limitation and definition. As pathological anatomy does not aid us, no uniform and exclusive cause for hysteria can be demonstrated.” Dr. William Hanna Thomson, physician to the Roosevelt Hospital and Professor of the Practice of Medicine and Diseases of the Nervous System, New York University Medical College, in referring to Tuke's Dictionary of Psychological Medicine, asserted that: “The contributors to this great encyclopedia are from the most eminent professors, experts, and superintendents of insane asylums in Great Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Russia. In the articles by the writers on kleptomania, dipsomania, chronic mania, etc., there is not a word about the pathological anatomy, (because none can be found). Just so it is in the article on melancholia, puerperal insanity, katatonia, circular insanity, homicidal insanity or epileptic insanity; in none of these is there a word about pathological anatomy, for the sufficient reason that not one of these forms of insanity shows any pathological or diseased condition in the brain different from the sound brain of a healthy man killed in an accident.” He also said: “It is high time that we now look in the direction of toxemia (or blood poisoning) for the explanation of the insanities which produce no changes whatever in the brain.” Recent announcement was made that a large percentage of cures reported by the New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane at Trenton were effected by the removal of diseased teeth, tonsils or affected organs. In a resume of the Trenton method, Dr. R. S. Copeland wrote: “The hypothesis upon which this treatment is founded is that insanity is a toxemia or poisoning due to germ infection in some part of the body. If this is true it follows that removal of the infected tissue, when the case has not gone too far, will be followed by disappearance of the mental disturbance.” When statistics compiled by the United States Government, as well as by others, show that the increase in the number of the insane is proportionately greater than the increase of the general population, it seems incongruous to credit decayed teeth and diseased tonsils as being primary causes of mental unbalance at this time when dental and surgical attention is so general, whereas, the facts are that when dentistry was little known and practised, and people went about with all conditions of decayed teeth, insanity was less prevalent than now.

 Without attempting to discredit the Trenton reports, it may be stated that our experience has shown that in many cases of mental derangement, although the patient bad badly decayed teeth, mental balance was fully restored by dislodging the obsessing spirit before any attention was given to the teeth.1 Since it has been found that obsessing spirits are sensitive to pain, I am constrained to suggest that such cures as announced by the Trenton Hospital may, at least in part, be due to the fact that intruding spirits were dislodged, by dental or surgical interference. To the investigator in Abnormal Psychology on the spiritistic hypothesis much of the symptomatology of the “War Neurosis'' or shell shock, - excepting cases of malingering - as recorded by Dr. F. E. Williams, Acting Medical Director, National Committee for Mental Hygiene, New York City, suggests obsession or possession by spirits of dead soldiers, unconscious of their transition, as the exciting cause. This is indicated by “delirium, hallucinations, anxiety states, functional heart disorders, paralysis, tremors, gait disturbances, convulsive movements, pain, anesthesia, hyperesthesia, blindness, disorders of speech, etc.” The spirit hypothesis regarding War Neurosis is further evidenced by the rapid recovery of patients under severe electrical treatment - (driving out obsessing entities?) - “as instituted by Dr. Vincent who, Dr. Williams stated, would cure in a few hours Patients that had been in the care of other psychiatrists for months, and would have them walking about and climbing ladders.” The above theory is also favored by Dr. Williams' further statements that: “This neurosis is rare among prisoners who have been exposed to mechanical shock . . . as well as among wounded exposed to mechanical shock.... Severe injury to the central nervous system and brain is not accompanied by symptoms found in shell shock.... Success attends the therapeutic measures employed for the psychological rather than the mechanical side. . . . Diagnosis should be made and treatment begun at once before the shell shock” - (obsession) - “becomes a fixed psycho-neurosis.” Newspapers recently reported the case of a young man, Frank James, a boy thug of New York City, who, after a fall from a motorcycle when ten years old, changed from a cheerful, affectionate and obedient child into a surly, insolent boy, developing into a confirmed robber and criminal. After several terms in the reformatory and five years in Sing Sing prison he was declared hopelessly insane, and sent to the State Insane Asylum. Frank James, however, escaped, and when pursuers attempted his capture, was hit on the head with a club, and falling unconscious, was taken to a hospital. The next morning the boy awoke, extraordinarily changed; he was gentle and deferential, showing no further indications of an unbalanced mind, and from that time exhibited not the slightest impulse to commit crime of any kind. The article concludes: “Just what happened to the mechanism of the boy's brain is not entirely understood by medical men.” How explain such a case on the toxemia theory? Could a blow on the head eradicate the supposed toxemia and restore mental balance? The simple explanation from our viewpoint would be that, following the shock of the boy's fall, an obsessing spirit criminal had taken control of the boy, and that the blow from the club on the man's head, with its accompanying pain, caused the obsessing entity to become dislodged. 1 See Chap. 5, Patient - Mrs. SI., Page 89 & Chap. 7, Patient - Mrs. R., Page 123.

 Psychical Research belongs especially to the domain of science; common sense and discrimination are essentials in all such experimental work, as well as a thorough mastery of the laws involved. Under these conditions scientific research becomes an invaluable factor in the investigation of Spiritual Science.

Chapter II Psychical Research

Psychical research contains elements of the greatest importance to humanity, and has already become a vital factor in the social life of the world at large. It is undoubtedly true, however, that the various branches of research are endeavoring to classify their findings on purely psycho-physiological bases. The Psycho-Analyst advances the theory that many of the psychoses have their seat or origin in some psychic lesion, or trauma, either concealed or forgotten. The Analytical-Pychologist, by mental measurements and intelligence tests, is making the segregation and classification of mental defectives possible. So also the Neurologist and Psychiatrist are diligently seeking to isolate the etiological factors in the various neuroses,, mental aberrations and insanities, and to ascertain the best methods of prevention and treatment. While these branches of research are loath to accept the hypothesis of discarnate intelligences as contributing, exciting factors in many of the psychoses and aberrations, they are nevertheless rendering important service in uncovering and bringing to light the unstable qualities in the neurotic, the susceptible and those predisposed to mental unbalance. Psychical Research presents two general phases for investigation: the Normal and the Abnormal. The Normal phase, from the standpoint of the physician, as well as the minister, deals, among other issues, with the question: What becomes of the Dead? This problem is of vital interest to the patient who lingers on the borderland of transition, doubtful of the future, or perhaps trembling in fear of his probable condition after the tomorrow of death. Should it not be the noblest part of the physician's calling, in such situations, to be in a position to assure his patient from actual knowledge, that there is no death, but a birth into new fields of activity and opportunities in the higher mental spheres? In the Abnormal phase of Psychical Research there is demand for broadest Possible knowledge on the part of the physician pertaining to the mysterious functioning of minds, discarnate as well as incarnate. Research in Abnormal, as well as Normal psychology, indubitably indicates, not only the existence of spirits, but also unquestionably demonstrates that such entities play an important role in the various psychoneuroses and insanities. The physician, undoubtedly, comes in more intimate touch with the consequences of promiscuous dabbling in Psychical Research, so frequently resulting in mental aberrations, than any other person, for he is usually the first one to be called into consultation, and upon his decision depends largely the disposal of such an unfortunate victim. For this reason, if no other, it should surely be not only the privilege, but also the urgent duty of the physician to become thoroughly acquainted with the various phases of Psychical Research, particularly its dangers in the hands of thoughtless investigators, especially the predisposed psycho-neurotic.

 The alarming results often occurring in connection with Psychical Research prompted me to follow up a line of investigation to ascertain the underlying causes thereof, for these also concern the physician. The serious problem of alienation and mental derangement attending ignorant psychic experiments was first brought to my attention by the cases of several persons whose seemingly harmless experiences with automatic writing and the Ouija Board resulted in such wild insanity that commitment to asylums was necessitated. The first of these cases was that of Mrs. Bl., whose attempts at automatic writing led to mental derangement and altered personality. Normally she was amiable, pious, quiet and refined but became boisterous and noisy, romped about and danced, used vile language, and, claiming she was an actress, insisted upon dressing for the stage, saying that she had to be at the theatre at a certain time or lose her position. Finally she became so irresponsible that she was placed in an asylum. Another case was Mrs. Bn., who, through the practice of automatic writing, changed from an artist and a lady of refinement to an altogether different and violent personality. Screaming at the top of her voice she continually rubbed her temples and exclaimed, “God save me! God save me!” Rushing into the street she knelt in the mud, praying, and refused food, declaring that if she should eat before six o'clock P.M. she would go to hell. Mrs. Sr., who bad followed the same practices, also became mentally deranged and violent, necessitating police interference. Rising in the night she posed in the window of her millinery shop as Napoleon, whom she presumed herself to be, and after committing many other irresponsible acts, requiring restraint, was sent to the Detention Hospital. In like manner, Mrs. Wr. became obsessed with hallucinations that God was constantly talking to her and condemning her for wrong acts of which he accused her; after attempting suicide at the request of this so-called God she was taken to the asylum. Many other disastrous results which followed the use of the supposedly innocent Ouija Board came to my notice and my observations led me into research in psychic phenomena for a possible explanation of these strange occurrences. My wife proved to be an excellent psychic intermediary and was easily controlled by discarnate intelligences. In answer to her doubts concerning the right of “disturbing the dead” these intelligences asserted that a grievously wrong conception existed among mortals regarding the conditions prevailing after death. They stated that there is in reality no death, but a natural transition from the visible to the invisible world, and that advanced spirits are ever striving to communicate with mortals to enlighten them concerning the higher possibilities which await the progressive spirit. But death - the freeing of the spirit from the body - is so simple and natural that a great majority do not, for a longer or shorter period, realize the change, and owing to a lack of education concerning the spiritual side of their natures, they continue to remain in their earthly haunts. They maintained that many such spirits were attracted to the magnetic aura of mortals - although the spirit, as well as the mortal, might be unconscious of the intrusion - and thus, by obsessing or possessing their victims, they ignorantly or maliciously became the cause of untold mischief, often producing invalidism, immorality, crime and seeming insanity.

 The risk of interference from this source constituted, they said, the gravest danger to the unwary novice in psychic research, but to be in ignorance of these facts was an even greater risk, especially in the case of the susceptible neurotic. These intelligences also stated that by a system of transfer, that is, by attracting such obsessing entities from the victim to a psychic intermediary, the correctness of the hypothesis could be demonstrated and conditions could be shown as they actually exist. After this transference of psychoses the victims would be relieved, and the obsessing spirits could then be reached by the advanced spirits, who would care for them and instruct them regarding the higher laws of life. They claimed they had found my wife to be a suitable instrument for such experimentation and proposed that, if I would cooperate with them by caring for and instructing these ignorant spirits, as they allowed them to take temporary but complete possession of my wife's body, without any injury to her, they would prove their assertions were correct. Desirous of learning the truth or falsity of such important claims, which, if true, would have a great bearing on the cause of much that is otherwise baffling in criminology, as well as in psycho-pathology, we accepted what seemed a hazardous undertaking. In order to carry out their purpose the Guiding Intelligences allowed many manifestations to take place, often very unexpectedly, and some of these occurred while I was pursuing my early medical studies. One day I left home without any intention of immediately beginning my first dissecting work, therefore my wife's subconscious mind could not possibly have taken any part in what transpired later. The students were required to dissect a lateral half of a body; the first subject was a man about sixty years of age and that afternoon I began dissecting on a lower limb. I returned home at about five o'clock and had scarcely entered the door when my wife was apparently taken with a sudden illness, and complaining of feeling strange, staggered as though about to fall. As I placed my hand on her shoulder she drew herself up and became entranced by a foreign intelligence who said, with threatening gesture: “What do you mean by cutting me?” I answered that I was not aware of cutting any one, but the spirit angrily replied: “Of course you are! You are cutting on my leg!” Realizing that the spirit owner of the body on which I had been operating had followed me home, I began to parley with him, first placing my wife in a chair. To this the spirit vigorously objected, saying that I had no business to touch him. To my answer that I had a right to touch my own wife the entity retorted: “Your wife! What are you talking about! I am no woman - I'm a man.” I explained that he had passed out of his physical body and was controlling the body of my wife, and that his spirit was here and his body at the college. When he finally seemed to realize this I said: “Suppose I were now cutting on your body at the college that could not kill you, since you yourself are here.” The spirit admitted that this seemed reasonable, and said: “I guess I must be what they call 'dead,' so I won't have any more use for my old body. If you can learn anything by cutting on it, go ahead and cut away.” Then he added suddenly: “Say, Mister, give me a chew of tobacco.” I told him that I had none, and then he begged for a pipe, saying: “I'm dying for a smoke.” This request was, of course, also refused. (The fact that Mrs. Wickland has always abhorred the sight of any one chewing tobacco precludes the possibility of her subconscious mind playing any role in this episode.) After a more detailed explanation of the fact that he was actually so-called “dead,” the spirit realized his true condition and left. Subsequent examination of the teeth of the cadaver indicated that the man had been an inveterate tobacco user in life. Upon another occasion, when I had been appointed assistant demonstrator for a class of students in dissecting, the body of a colored man had been selected as a subject but the body had not yet been disturbed when, one evening, Mrs. Wickland became entranced and a strange spirit, speaking through her, exclaimed: “You ain't goin' to cut on dis colored man, Boss!” I told him that the world called him dead; that he was not in his old body, but was now controlling a woman's body. He would not believe this and when I showed him my wife's hands, saying they were not colored but white, he replied: “I'se got whitewash on dem; whitewashin' is my business.” This spirit proved to be very obstinate, offering a variety of excuses and explanations rather than accept the truth, but he was finally convinced and departed. Another incident will still further demonstrate to what a seemingly unbelievable degree spirits may cling to their earthly bodies through ignorance of their transition, or so-called death. In the dissecting room was the body of a woman, about forty years of age, who had died at the Cook County Hospital, Chicago, the previous June. In January, seven months after her death, a number of students, myself included, were assigned this subject for dissection. I could not be present the first evening but the others began their work. Nothing was ever said to me of what occurred during those few hours, but for some reason, unknown to me, the other students never touched that subject again. The next day there was no school in the afternoon so I began to dissect alone, working on the arm and neck. The dissecting room was in the rear of a long basement and very quiet, but once I distinctly heard a voice say: “Don't murder me!” The voice sounded faintly, as from a distance, but since I am not in the least superstitious and not at all inclined to credit small incidents to the actions of spirits, I concluded that it probably came from children in the street, although I had not heard any playing nearby. The following afternoon I was again working alone when I was rather startled by a rustling sound coming from a crumpled newspaper lying on the floor, a sound something like that produced when a newspaper is crushed, but I paid no particular attention to it and did not mention these occurrences to my wife. The episodes had quite passed out of my mind until a few days later. We were holding a psychic circle in our home and our invisible co-workers had already departed when I noticed that my wife still remained in a semi-comatose condition. I stepped up to her to ascertain the reason when the controlling spirit rose suddenly, struck at me angrily and said: “I have some bones to pick with you!”

 Chapter III 

Subconscious Mind and Auto-Suggestion Hypotheses Untenable

During thirty years of indefatigable research among the “dead” such startling conditions have been revealed that it seems incredible intelligent reasoners along other lines of thought could have so long ignored the simple facts, which can so readily be verified. There is utter impossibility of fraud in these experiences; foreign languages, totally unknown to Mrs. Wickland, are spoken, expressions never heard by her are used, while the identity of the controlling spirits has again and again been verified and corroborations innumerable have been made. On one occasion I conversed with twenty-one different spirits, who spoke through my wife, the majority giving me satisfactory evidence of being certain friends and relatives known to me while they were incarnated. In all, they spoke six different languages, while my wife speaks only Swedish and English. From one patient, Mrs. A., who was brought to us from Chicago, thirteen different spirits were dislodged and allowed to control Mrs. Wickland,3 and of these, seven were recognized by the patient's mother, Mrs. H. W., as relatives or friends well known to her during their earth lives. One was a minister, formerly pastor of the Methodist church of which Mrs. H. W. was a member, who had been killed in a railroad accident nine years previous, but was still unconscious of the fact; another was her sister-in-law; there were also three elderly women, family friends for years, a neighbor boy and the mother-in-law of the patient - all entirely unknown to Mrs. Wickland. Mrs. H. W. conversed at length with each one, as they spoke through Mrs. Wickland, verifying innumerable statements made by the spirits and assisted in bringing them to a realization of their changed condition, and of the fact that they had been obsessing her daughter. This patient is today entirely well and actively occupied with social, musical and family affairs. Another case will show clearly the transfer of psychosis from patient to intermediary, and the impossibility of either “subconscious mind” or “multiple personalities” playing any role as far as the psychic is concerned. One summer evening we were called to the home of Mrs. M., a lady of culture and refinement; she was a musician of high rank and when the social demands made upon her proved too great she suffered a nervous breakdown. She had become intractable and for six weeks had been in such a raving condition that her physicians had been unable to relieve her, and day and night nurses were in constant attendance. We found the patient sitting up in her bed, crying one minute like a forlorn child, and again screaming in fear: “Matilla! Matilla!” Then suddenly fighting and struggling, she 3See Chap. 11, "Materialism," Page 195, Spirit: Frank Bergquist. Patient: Mrs. A. & Chap.18, "Orthodoxy,". Page 260 Spirit: J. O. Nelson. Patient: Mrs. A.

 At first she could not remember any date, but when asked: “Is it November 15th, 1906?” she replied: “No, that is next week.” Life had been a bitter disappointment to her; she had suffered constantly from chronic abdominal ailments, and finally, resolving to end her miserable existence, she had taken poison. She could not at first realize that she had succeeded in destroying her physical body, for, like most suicides, she was in total ignorance of the indestructibility of life and the reality of the hereafter. When the real purpose of life, experience and suffering had been made clearer to her she was overcome with repentance and offered a sincere prayer for forgiveness. Then her spiritual sight opened slightly and she saw dimly the spirit figure of her grandmother, who had come to take her to the spirit world. Subsequent inquiry at the address given by the spirit proved her statements to be true; a woman by the name given had lived at this house, she still had a son living there, and we were told that Mrs. Rose had been taken to the Cook County Hospital and had died there the week before. Upon investigation at the hospital we found further verification of the facts and were given a copy of the record of the case: Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Ills. Mary Rose. Admitted November 7th, 1906. Died November 8th, 1906. Carbolic Acid poisoning. No. 341106. Another case will show that identification of a spirit is often possible. Mrs. Fl., a patient who had been declared incurably insane by several physicians, was a refined lady of gentle disposition, who had become very wild and unmanageable, swearing constantly, and fighting with such violence that several persons were required to restrain her. She was also subject to coma states, again to fainting spells, would refuse food, announce that she “had been married above by celestial powers,” and used extraordinarily vile language; these various phases alternated constantly, but no full proof of obsession was evidenced until one day when Mrs. Fl. lost all power of speech, and, mumbling idiotically, simulated perfectly a deaf and dumb person. At this time a gentleman from an adjoining state came to the house to visit a patient and, shortly after his arrival, the nurse who attended Mrs. Fl. reported that the patient had again changed and was talking like a little child. So striking was this alteration that the gentleman was asked to step into the room to observe the patient. He was a total stranger to her but as he entered the room she pointed to him and said, in a high childish voice: “I know that man! He used to put bows on my shoulders. And he pulled my toofies! He took me to a gypsy camp too! He lived right across the street from me, and he used to call me Rosebud. I'm four years old.” The astonished gentleman corroborated every statement, saying that he had known such a child in his home town in Iowa, but that she had died the year before. He explained that he was very fond of children and had on several occasions taken the child to a gypsy camp, and that whenever he bought taffy-on-a stick for the little girl, he would tug at the stick while she was eating the candy and playfully threaten to pull her teeth. It was evident that affection had attracted the spirit child to her friend, and that she found in Mrs. Fl. a vehicle through which she could make her presence known to the gentleman. The patient was relieved of this spirit and gradually of other obsessing influences, and several months later was pronounced entirely competent to sign legal papers, being declared normal and sane by a judge and jury. Another case in point was that of Mrs. O., who was a cook in a restaurant. She had observed a waitress acting queerly, laboring under delusions and hallucinations, and brought her to my office. After an electrical treatment the patient declared she felt greatly relieved and returned to her home. But that night Mrs. O. herself became disturbed by an unaccountable condition which prevented her from sleeping, and her restlessness continued until ten o'clock the following morning, when, in the midst of her preparations for dinner, she suddenly became wild, tore her hair, and threatened to harm herself. I was sent for and arriving, found Mrs. O. raving in a demented condition, complaining of being chased here and there and being unable to find a resting place. Suspecting the presence of an invisible entity, I placed Mrs. O. in a chair, pinioned her arms to prevent a struggle, and after several remarks the entity declared it was a man, but denied being dead, or obsessing a woman. The spirit said his name was Jack, that he was an uncle of the troubled waitress, and that he had been a vagabond in life. After reasoning with the intelligence he began to realize his situation, and, promising to cause no further annoyance, left. Mrs. O. then immediately became her normal self and returned to her work without any further disturbance. It was later ascertained from the waitress that she had had an uncle named Jack, who had been a vagabond, and that he was dead. In this experience Mrs. O. had acted as the psychic intermediary to whom the spirit obsessing the waitress had been transferred. A number of years ago Dr. Lydston wrote in the Chicago papers of a patient who, although having no knowledge of French or music sang well the “Marseillaise” in French when placed under the influence of an anesthetic. Dr. Lydston, denying the continued existence of the ego, explained this phenomenon as one of subliminal consciousness, or unconscious memory, comparing it with the case of the uneducated domestic, who, in delirium, recited classic Latin as perfectly as her former employer, a Professor of Latin, had done during his life. I replied, in a newspaper article, that such phenomena were frequently met with in psychic research, and stated that, despite the classification of materialistic scientists, these cases clearly proved the posthumous existence of spirits and their ability to communicate through mortals. I added that if the truth were known about these two cases, we would find that the man who sang French was a psychic sensitive and had at the time been controlled by some outside intelligence, while in all probability the domestic who recited Latin was obsessed by the spirit of the former professor.

 Shortly after this the gentleman alluded to by Dr. Lydston called on me, having read my article, and said: “I don't know anything about French, but I do know that I am bothered to death by spirits.” In the study of cases of “Multiple Personalities,” “Dissociated Personalities,” or “Disintegrated States of Consciousness,” modern psychologists disclaim the possibility of foreign intelligences on the ground that these personalities give neither evidence of supernormal knowledge, nor of being of spiritistic origin. Our experience, to the contrary, has proven that the majority of these intelligences are oblivious of their transition and hence it does not enter their minds that they are spirits, and they are loath to recognize the fact. In the case of Miss Beauchamp, as recorded by Dr. Morton Prince, in “The Dissociation of a Personality,” reporting four alternating personalities, no claim was made that any outside intelligences were responsible for the various personalities, and yet “Sally” (personality 3) insisted that she herself was not the same as Miss Beauchamp (Christine), that her own consciousness was distinct from that of Miss Beauchamp, and told of Miss Beauchamp's learning to walk and talk. “When she was a very little girl just learning to walk ... I remember her thoughts distinctly as separate from mine.” Similarly in the case of Bernice Redick of Ohio, the young school girl who constantly changed from her normal self to the personality of “Polly,” an unruly child, every indication is given of the influence of a discarnate spirit, probably ignorant of being dead, controlling Miss Redick. That such “personalities” are independent entities could easily be proven, under proper conditions, by transference of the same to a psychic intermediary, as similar experiments have so abundantly demonstrated. Any attempt to explain our experiences on the theory of the Subconscious Mind and Auto-Suggestion, or Multiple Personalities, would be untenable, since it is manifestly impossible that Mrs. Wickland should have a thousand personalities, and since it is so readily possible to cause transference of psychosis from a supposedly insane person to Mrs. Wickland, relieving the victim, and in this way discovering that the disturbance was due to a discarnate entity, whose identity can often be verified. Individuals who are clairaudient suffer greatly from the constant annoyance of hearing the voices of obsessing entities (the “auditory hallucinations” frequently observed by alienists), and when such a person is present in a psychic circle where the spirits are dislodged and transferred to the psychic intermediary, interesting developments occur. __________ An illustration is the case of Mrs. Burton, a clairaudient patient who was constantly combating obsessing spirits, and who, while attending our circle, was relieved of her unwelcome companions. In the following records the conversation of the spirits through the psychic, Mrs. Wickland, will elucidate the characteristics of the several entities. Spirit: CARRIE HUNTINGTON Patient: MRS. BURTON. Doctor Tell us who you are. Spirit I do not wish you to hold my hands. Dr. You must sit still. Sp. Why do you treat me like this? Dr. Who are you? Sp. Why do you want to know? Dr. You have come here as a stranger, and we would like to know who you are. Sp. What are you so interested for? Dr. We should like to know with whom we are associating. If a stranger came to your home, would you not like to know his name? Sp. I do not want to be here and I do not know any of you. Somebody pushed me in here, and I do not think it is right to force me in like that. And when I came in and sat down on the chair you grabbed my hands as if I were a prisoner. Why was I pushed in here? (Brought in control of psychic by guiding intelligences.) Dr. You were probably in the dark. Sp. It seems somebody took me by force. Dr. Was there any reason for it? Sp. I do not know of any reason, and I do not see why I should be bothered like that. Dr. Was no reason given for handling you in this manner? Sp. It has been a terrible time for me for quite a while. I have been tormented to death. I have been driven here, there and everywhere. I am getting so provoked about it that I feel like giving everything a good shaking. Dr. What have they done to you? Sp. It seems so terrible. If I walk around I am so very miserable. I do not know what it is. Sometimes it seems as if my senses were being knocked out of me. Something comes on me like thunder and lightning. (Static treatment of patient.) It makes such a noise. This terrible noise - it is awful! I cannot stand it any more, and I will not either! Dr. We shall be glad if you will not stand it any more. Sp. Am I not welcome? And if I am not, I do not care! Dr. You are not very particular. Sp. I have had so much hardship. Dr. How long have you been dead? Sp. Why do you speak that way? I am not dead. I am as alive as I can be, and I feel as if I were young again. Dr. Have you, not felt, at times, as if you were somebody else ? Sp. At times I feel very strange, especially when it knocks me senseless. I feel very bad. I do not feel that I should have this suffering. I do not know why I should have such things. Dr. Probably it is necessary. Sp. I feel I should be free to go where I please, but it seems I have no will of my own any more. I try, but it seems somebody else takes possession of me and gets me into some place where they knock me nearly senseless. If I knew it, I never would go there, but there is a person who seems to have the right to take me everywhere, but I feel I should have the right to take her. (Referring to patient.) Dr. What business have you with her? Can't you live your own life? Sp. I live my own life, but she interferes with me. I talk to her. She wants to chase me out. I feel like chasing her out, and that is a real struggle. I cannot see why I should not have the right just as well as she has. Dr. Probably you are interfering with her.

 Sp. She wants to get rid of me. I am not bothering her. I only talk to her sometimes. Dr. Does she know you talk to her? Sp. Sometimes she does, and then she chases me right out She acts all right, but she gets so provoked. Then, when she gets into that place, I am knocked senseless and I feel terrible. I have no power to take her away. She makes me get out. Dr. You should not stay around her. Sp. It is my body, it is not hers. She has no right there. I do not see why she interferes with me. Dr. She interferes with your selfishness. Sp. I feel I have some right in life - I think so. Dr. You passed out of your body without understanding the fact, and have been bothering a lady. You should go to the spirit world and not hover around here. Sp. You say I am hovering around. I am not hovering around, and I am not one to interfere, but I want a little to say about things. Dr. That was why you had the “thunder” and “the knocks.” Sp. That was all right for a while, but lately it is terrible. I must have understanding. Dr. You will have it now. Sp. I will do anything to stop that terrible knocking. Mrs. B. (Recognizing the spirit as one who had been troubling her.) I am mighty tired of you. Who are you, anyway? Sp. I am a stranger. Mrs. B. What is your name? Sp. My name? Mrs. B. Have you one? Sp. My name is Carrie. Mrs. B. Carrie what? Sp. Carrie Huntington. Mrs. B. Where do you live? Sp. San Antonio, Texas. Mrs. B. You have been with me a long time, haven't you? (It had been a number of years since Mrs. B. had been in San Antonio.) Sp. You have been with me a long time. I should like to find out why you interfere with me. I recognize you now. Mrs. B. What street did you live on? Sp. I lived in many different places there. Dr. Do you realize the fact that you have lost your own mortal body? Can you remember having been sick? Sp. The last I remember I was in El Paso. I do not remember anything after that. I went there and I do not seem to remember when I left. It seems that I should be there now. I got very sick one day there. Dr. Probably you lost your body then. Sp. After El Paso I do not know where I went. I went some distance. I traveled on the railroad and it was just like I was nobody. Nobody asked me anything and I had to follow that lady (Mrs. B.) as if I were her servant, and I feel very annoyed about it. Mrs. B. You worried me to death because you sang all the time.

 Sp. I had to do something to attract your attention, because you would not listen to me any other way. You traveled on the train and it took me away from my home and folks, and I feel very much hurt about it. Do you understand? Mrs. B. I understand you far better than you do me. Dr. Can't you realize what has been the matter with you? Sp. I want to tell you that I do not want those knockings any more. I will stay away. Dr. Understand your condition; understand that you are an ignorant, obsessing spirit, and that you have no physical body. You died, probably at the time you were sick. Sp. Could you talk to a ghost? Dr. Such things certainly do happen. Sp. I am not a ghost, because ghosts cannot talk. When you are dead, you lie there. Dr. When the body dies, it lies there. But the spirit does not. Sp. That goes to God who gave it. Dr. Where is He? Where is that God? Sp. In Heaven. Dr. Where is that? Sp. It is where you go to find Jesus. Dr. The Bible says: “God is Love; and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God.” Where will you find that God? Sp. I suppose in Heaven. I cannot tell you anything about it. But I know I have been in the worst hell you could give me with those knockings. I do not see that they have done me any good. I do not like them at all. Dr. Then you must stay away from that lady. Sp. I see her well now, and I can have a real conversation with her. Dr. Yes, but this will be the last time. Sp. How do you know it will? Dr. When you leave here you will understand that you have been talking through another person's body. That person is my wife. Sp. What nonsense! I thought you looked wiser than to talk such nonsense. Dr. It may seem foolish, but look at your hands. Do you recognize them? Sp. They do not look like mine, but so much has taken place lately, that I do not know what I shall do. That lady over there, (Mrs. B.) has been acting like a madman, and I have taken it as it came, so I shall have to find out what she thinks of doing, and why she does those things to me. Dr. She will be very happy to be rid of you. Mrs. B. Carrie, how old are you? Sp. You know that a lady never wants to tell her age. Dr. Especially if she happens to be a spinster. Sp. Please excuse me, you will have to take it as it is. I will not tell my age to any one. Dr. Have you ever been married? Sp. Yes, I was married to a fellow, but I did not care for him. Dr. What was his name? Sp. That is a secret with me. I would not have his name mentioned for anything, and I do not want to carry his name, either. My name is Carrie Huntington, because it was my name, and I do not want to carry his name. Dr. Do you want to go to the spirit world?

Sp. What foolish questions you put to me. Dr. It may seem foolish to you, but, nevertheless, there is a spirit world. Spiritual things often seem foolish to the mortal mind. You have lost your body. Sp. I have not lost my body. I have been with this lady, but she does one thing I do not like very well. She eats too much. She eats too much and gets too strong, then I have no power over her body, not as much as I want to. (To Mrs. B.) I want you to eat less. I try very much to dictate to you not to eat that and that, but you have no sense. You do not even listen to me. Mrs. B. This is the place I told you to go to, but you would not go by yourself. Sp. I know it. But you have no business to take me where I get those knockings. I do not want to stay with you if you take those awful knockings. Dr. They are in the next room. Do you want some? Sp. No, thank you. Not for me any more. Dr. Listen to what is told you, then you will not need any more. You are an ignorant spirit. I mean you are ignorant of your condition. You lost your body, evidently without knowing it. Sp. How do you know? Dr. You are now controlling my wife's body. Sp. I never saw you before, so how in the world can you think I should be called your wife? No, never! Dr. I do not want you to be. Sp. I don't want you either! Dr. I don't want you to control my wife's body much longer. You must realize that you have lost your physical body. Do you recognize these hands? (Mrs. Wickland's hands.) Sp. I have changed so much lately that all those changes make me crazy. It makes me tired. Dr. Now, Carrie, be sensible. Sp. I am sensible, and don't you tell me differently, else you will have some one to tell you something you never heard before. Dr. Now Carrie! Sp. I am Mrs. Carrie Huntington! Mrs. B. You listen to what the Doctor has to say to you. Sp. I will not listen to any one, I tell you once for all. I have been from one to another and I do not care what becomes of me. Dr. Do you know you are talking through my wife's body? Sp. Such nonsense. I think that's the craziest thing I ever heard in my life. Dr. Now you will have to be sensible. Sp. Sensible? I am sensible. Are you a perfect man? Dr. No, I am not, but I tell you that you are an ignorant, selfish spirit. You have been bothering that lady for some time, and we have chased you out by the use of those “knocks.” Whether you understand it or not, you are an ignorant spirit. You will have to behave yourself, or else I will take you into the office and give you some more of those “knocks.” Sp. I don't want those knocks. Dr. Then change your disposition. Realize that there is no death; when people lose their bodies they merely become invisible to mortals. You are invisible to us.

  Sp. I will have nothing to do with you! Dr. We want to help you and make you understand your condition. Sp. I don't need help. Dr. If you don't behave you will be taken away by intelligent spirits and placed in a dungeon. Sp. You think you can scare me! You will find out what will happen to you. Dr. You must overcome your selfish disposition. Look around; you may see some one who will make you care. You may see some one who will make you cry. Sp. I don't want to cry. I like to sing, instead of cry. Dr. Where is your mother? Sp. I haven't seen her for a long time. My mother? My mother! She is in Heaven. She was a good woman, and is with God and the Holy Ghost, and all of them. Dr. Look around and see if your mother is not here. Sp. This place is not Heaven, - far from it. If this is heaven then it is worse than hell. Dr. Look for your mother; she will put you to shame. Sp. I have done nothing to be ashamed of. What business have you to give me those knocks and have me put in a dungeon? That lady and I made a bargain. Dr. She made a bargain to come here and get rid of you. You have been fired out by electricity. You have lost your company. Sp. Yes, for a while they all left me. I can't find them. (Other obsessing spirits.) Why did you chase that tall fellow away? Dr. This lady wants her body to herself; she does not want to be tormented by earthbound spirits. Would you like them around you? Sp. I don't know what you mean. Dr. Can't you realize that you bothered that lady and made her life a perfect hell? Sp. (To Mrs. B.) I have not bothered you. Mrs. B. You woke me up at three o'clock this morning. Sp. Well, you have no business to sleep. Dr. You must live your own life. Sp. I will. Dr. That will be in a dark dungeon if you do not behave yourself. Sp. How do you know? Dr. You cannot stay here. You had better be humble and ask for help - that is what you need. My wife and I have been following this work for many years, and she allows all sorts of spirits to use her body, so they may be helped. Sp. (Sarcastically) She is very good! Dr. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Do you see your mother? Sp. I don't want to see her. I don't want to call her away from Heaven. Dr. Since Heaven is a condition of happiness she could not be in any “Heaven” with a daughter like you, - she could not be happy. Suppose you were in Heaven, and had a daughter, would you like her to act as you do? Sp. I do not act contrary. What is the situation? Tell me that! Dr. I have already told you the situation. You are controlling my wife's body. Sp. How do I do that? Dr. Because of higher laws, and because you are a spirit. Spirit and mind are invisible. You are so selfish that you do, not care to understand.

 Sp. Yes, many people talked. Dr. What did they say? Sp. One said one thing, one another. They all think they are so smart. Dr. Did you ever have any chance to say anything? Sp. Yes, but I got so mad, because there was always a woman there; she knew all I wanted to say. I felt that some, times I should have a chance. Whenever they talked, that woman talked. A man has no chance to say anything when a woman begins to talk. Dr. You must have been a married man. Sp. Why yes, I am married. Dr. Was it a success, or a failure? Sp. I don't know what it was - an excuse anyway. I was not so very happy. Women always talk too much. They can't leave a fellow alone a minute at a time. Dr. What did they talk about? Sp. It's that woman, she talks and talks and talks. (Patient, Mrs. Burton, who talked constantly.) She never can keep still very long at a time. I felt sometimes like shaking her good. We just had some new company come in. They talk and talk. It makes me sick; they make me get out. They are the worst I ever saw. Dr. Did anything happen at all? Sp. Lightning played around my head, until I didn't know where I was. (Electrical treatment given patient.) I thought it was far distant, but, my God and Stars in Heaven, how it hit me! Dr. What did you want to do at such times? Sp. I wanted to get hold of that lightning and try to stop it hitting my head, but the lightning strikes every time - it never misses. Lightning used to be different; it didn't always strike, but now it never misses. I never saw anything like it. There are stars before your eyes, and it feels terrible, but even while the lightning strikes that woman keeps right on talking. (Patient talked throughout treatment.) Dr. What does she talk about? Sp. Nothing. She wants to be boss, and I want to be boss; so there we are. Dr. What does she say? Sp. You know how it is with women - they talk and talk, but there is never anything to it. Dr. Does the lady address you? Sp. She torments me all the time. I feel like shaking her, but I don't seem to have any power any more. Then there is another woman, and she goes right at it too. It makes me sick. What can you do with a woman to make her stop talking? If you can get any woman to stop talking, you'll have a pretty hard time to do it. Dr. What is your name? Sp. It's a long time since I heard it. Dr. Where did you come from? Are you in California? Sp. No; I'm in Texas. Dr. What did your mother call you when you were a boy? Sp. James was my name, but they always called me Jimmie. Gosh! I don't know what is the matter with me. That lightning gets on my knees and feet, then from my head to my feet, but what I can't understand is, it never misses its aim. Dr. How old are you?

 Sp. I will say that I am a man about fifty years of age, but I want to say that during all my life, I never saw such lightning before, and what I can't understand is that nothing ever catches fire from it. Gosh! Yesterday I got into a regular nest; it was the worst I ever saw in my whole life. I think every one was a devil. (Obsessing spirits.) There's another one standing over there, and that came yesterday. Dr. How long have you been dead, Jimmie? Sp. What do you mean? Dr. I mean, how long is it since you lost your body? Sp. I haven't lost it yet. Dr. Don't you realize that you are in a strange condition? Sp. I have been that for a long time. Dr. Did you ever work in the oil business in Texas? Sp. I don't know where I have been working; things are very queer. Dr. Where did you work? Sp. In a blacksmith shop. Dr. Do you know what year it is? Sp. No, I don't. Dr. How are you going to vote this Fall? For whom will you vote for President? Sp. I don't know yet. Dr. How do you like the present President? Sp. I like him; he is pretty good. Dr. Do you know anything in particular about him? Sp. He's all right; there's no flies on Roosevelt. Dr. Is he President? Sp. Of course he is. He just got in. McKinley was also a good man, but you know, Mark Hanna had an awful influence over him. It is a long time since I bothered with politics. I have been shut up a long time, but, my God and Stars in Heaven, I'm nearly crazy from that woman talking all the time. Dr. What woman is it that talks so much? Sp. Can't you see her? Dr. She might not be here . Sp. Oh, yes, she is, it's that woman. (Indicating patient.) Dr. What does she talk about? Sp. Nothing but nonsense. She makes me sick. Dr. What does she say in particular? Sp. Nothing; she has not sense enough. She mocks me every once in a while. I'm going to get her some day! Stars in Heaven, she's terrible! Dr. Now, friend, I want you to understand your condition. You have lost your physical body, and are now a spirit. Sp. I have a body. If only that woman would keep still. Dr. This is not your body. Sp. Stars in Heaven, whose body is it? Dr. My wife's. Sp. Stars in Heaven and the Heat from the Sun! I'm not your wife. How could I be your wife when I'm a man? That's funny! Dr. You are an invisible spirit.

 Sp. Spirit? Do you mean a ghost? For Heaven's sake, talk United States. Dr. Ghosts and spirits are the same thing. Sp. I know ghosts and I know spirits. Dr. They both mean the same thing. (Taking hand of psychic.) Sp. Say, it's not nice for a man to hold another man's hand. If you want to hold hands, get hold of some lady's hand and hold that. Men don't hold each other's hands, - that's cold joy. Dr. Tell us what that woman says. Sp. She just talks and says nothing. Dr. Is she young or old? Sp. She's not so very young. I get so mad at her. Dr. I am telling you the fact when I say you are a spirit. Sp. When did I die then? Dr. It must have been some time ago. Roosevelt has not been President for many years. He is a spirit like yourself. Sp. Just like I am? Why, he's dead then. Dr. So are you. Sp. When I am here and listening to you, I can't be dead. Dr. You have lost your body. Sp. Say, don't hold my hand. It's such cold joy. Dr. I am holding my wife's hand. Sp. Well, you can hold her hand, but let mine alone. Dr. Do you recognize this hand as yours? Sp. That isn't my hand. Dr. It is the hand of my wife. Sp. But I'm not your wife. Dr. You are using my wife's body only temporarily. You lost your own body a long time ago. Sp. How did that happen? Dr. I don't know. Do you know you are in Los Angeles, California? Sp. God, and Stars in Heaven, how did I come to California? I had no money. You know, there are two women here. One doesn't talk so much. She looks to me like she was sick. (Another spirit obsessing patient.) She doesn't say much, but I suppose she is so annoyed because that other woman talks so awful. Please don't hold my hand; I like 'to feel free. If I were alone with a lady, and I could hold her hand, that would be a different story. Aren't you satisfied to hold just one hand? Dr. I have to hold both because you will not be quiet. Now, let us not lose any more time. Sp. I wish sometimes I didn't have so much time on my hands. Dr. We will give you something to do. Sp. You will? That's good. If you can give me some work of some kind, I shall be very glad. Do you want me to fix horses, shoes? I used to shoe horses. Dr. In what state? Sp. Texas. That's a big state. Dr. Did you roam around a good deal?

 Sp. Yes, quite a little. I was in Galveston, Dallas, San Antonio, and many other places. I traveled everywhere I wanted to go. I went to Houston and other cities. Dr. You are a spirit and have been allowed to control my wife's body for a short time. We do not see you. Sp. Say, just look at those devils there, limping around like a bunch of little imps. (Obsessing spirits.) They are all around that woman. (Mrs. B.) Dr. You take them all with you when you leave. Sp. Not much I won't. (Touching necklace.) What in the world is this? Dr. That is my wife's neck ornament. Sp. Your wife? Dr. You have been brought here for enlightenment. You were fired out from that other lady. Sp. Yes, with lightning. For the life of me, I never saw anything like it. There used to be thunder and lightning storms in Texas, and in Arkansas, but lightning did not strike every time as it did on me. Dr. You will not have that thunder and lightning any more. Sp. I will not? That's good. Dr. Was your mother living in Texas? Sp. Certainly, but she is dead. I should know, because I was at her funeral. Dr. You were at the funeral of her body, not her spirit, soul or mind. Sp. I suppose she went to Heaven. Dr. Look around and see if you can see her. Sp. Where? Dr. She might be here. Sp. What place is this anyhow? If I am your wife I have never seen you before. Dr. You are not my wife. Sp. You called me your wife. Dr. I did not say you are my wife. You are temporarily using her body. Sp. For God's sake in Heaven and hell, how can I get out of your wife? Dr. Be sensible. What do those imps say? Sp. They say they are going to stay, but I say, and say it strong, that they are all going to go. Dr. Do you want them to go with you? Sp. I should say I do. Dr. You can help them a great deal by reforming them and making them understand their condition. They need help. You are all ignorant spirits and have been bothering that lady. I am the one who gave you “lightning” and chased you out. You can all 90 to the spirit world and learn how to progress. Sp. Is that woman going too? There is a whole lot, a gang, but I haven't seen any of them until lately. Dr. Can you see anybody you know? Just sit quietly for a moment and look around. Sp. (Excitedly) Why, here comes Nora! (A spirit.) Dr. Who is Nora? Sp. Nora Huntington; she's my sister. Dr. Ask her if your name is Jimmie Huntington.

 Sp. She says it is, and that she hasn't seen me for such a long time. (Suddenly puzzled.) But - she's dead. Dr. Let her explain the situation. Sp. She says: “Jimmie, you come home with me.” Where shall I come ? Dr. What does she say? Sp. She says: “To the spirit world,” - but I don't believe her. Dr. Was your sister in the habit of lying to you? Sp. No. Dr. If she were honest before, would she lie now? Sp. She says she has been hunting for me for years and she didn't know where I was. Dr. Where has she been? Sp. Why, she's dead. I was at her funeral, and I know well that she was not buried alive. Dr. You went to the funeral of her body, not her spirit. Sp. This is her ghost then? Dr. She is probably an intelligent spirit. We do not need to argue about that any more. Let her explain. Sp. She says: “Let us go, Jimmie, and take the 'gang' with us.” She says she is a missionary and helps everybody she can; she says she helps unfortunates. I have been unfortunate too. Dr. Tell this lady, this other spirit you have been talking about, to go with you. Sp. She says if she leaves she has no body. Dr. Tell her she has a spirit body. She doesn't need a physical body. Tell her that they will teach her how to progress. You take the imps along too. Sp. I can't carry them all with me. How do you know they all want to go with us? Dr. They will go if you can show them anything better than they have now. Probably they never had any chance in life. Sp. I never thought of that. Dr. We cannot blame them altogether. Show them the better way and they will follow. Sp. Where am I now? Dr. In California. Sp. Where in California? Dr. Los Angeles. Sp. If you are in California, it doesn't mean that I am there too. Dr. How could you be anywhere else, since you are here? Sp. Of course, that is reasonable. The last I remember, I was in Dallas, Texas, and the first thing I knew I was struck on the back of my head. I was shoeing a horse when I was struck. Did he kill me? Dr. He evidently chased you out of your body. Nobody ever dies. If you don't go soon, your sister will become tired of waiting for you. Sp. I'll go with her, if you'll let me, but I'll have to walk. Dr. How are you going to walk? With my wife's body? You will have to learn a new lesson. Just think yourself with your sister and you will be there instantly. You will have to travel by thought. Sp. Stars in Heaven, that's a new wrinkle! Dr. Now, friend, you can't stay any longer.

 Sp. That's a nice way to talk to me! Dr. I don't want you to use my wife's body any longer. Sp. What body will I get hold of when I get out from here? Dr. When you leave this body you will have your spirit body. That is invisible to us. Sp. Can I jump from this body into a spirit body? Dr. Your sister will explain. Just think yourself with your sister. You do not need any physical body for that purpose. Sp. I am commencing to get sleepy. Dr. Go with your sister and follow her instructions; you will learn many new lessons in the spirit life. Take all the gang and the little imps with you. Sp. (To spirits) Now you come along with me, all of you, the whole lot of you. Dr. Will they all go with you? Sp. Now we are going. Come on, the whole gang of you. Goodbye. _______ On a subsequent date a spirit “Harry” was brought to the circle for enlightenment, and, controlling Mrs. Wickland, maintained an interesting conversation regarding another spirit that had been troubling Mrs. Burton. Spirit: HARRY Dr. Where have you come from? Sp. I don't know where I am, and I don't know what is the matter with me. Dr. Would you care to know what is the matter? Sp. I don't know what is the matter. Dr. Did something happen to you? Sp. That is what I should like to find out. Dr. What have you been doing lately? Sp. I don't know. Dr. Tell us who you are. Do you know? Sp. Well, I should say - well, I think I do. Dr. Where do you think you are? Sp. I don't know. Dr. Yes, you do. Sp. No, I don't know. Everything is so queer, and it just seems to me I don't know what's the matter. Dr. Can't you look back and see whether something happened to you? Sp. I can't look back, I have no eyes in my back. Dr. I mean, think back. Sp. Think of my back? Dr. No, think of your past. Just use your thinking faculties. Sp. I don't know anything. Dr. You must not be so mentally lazy. Sp. What can a man do? Dr. This is a woman sitting here. Are you a man or a woman?

 Sp. I am a man, that fellow is a man, and the others are women. I have always been a man. I was never a woman, and never will be. You know I am a man. Dr. Look at your hands; where did you get them? Sp. Those are not my hands. Dr. Look at your feet. Sp. They are not mine, either. I never was a woman, and I don't want women's hands and feet, and I don't want to borrow any one's body now. Dr. Are you old ? Sp. Well, I'm not a young kid. Dr. You are probably old in years but not in knowledge. Sp. No, I don't know that I have so much knowledge. Dr. If you had knowledge you would not be in your present position. Sp. That has nothing to do with knowledge. Dr. Knowledge is just what you lack. Tell us what your name is. Is it Mary? Sp. Have you ever heard of a man being named Mary? That's ridiculous. Dr. Then tell us what your name is. I can only guess. Sp. For goodness sake alive, man, it is a man's name, not a woman's. Dr. Introduce yourself. Sp. What in the devil do you need my name for? Dr. You are well versed in English. Did you have white hair as you have now? (Referring to hair of psychic.) Sp. I had gray hair. Dr. Did you wear curls as you are doing now? Sp. No, I don't like them. Dr. Did you wear a comb? Sp. Did you ever know of a man wearing a comb? Dr. Where did you get that wedding ring? Sp. I didn't steal anything. I don't want a woman's hand. Dr. John, where did you come from? Sp. I'm not named John. Dr. What did your wife call you? What did your mother call you? Sp. She called me Harry. I was not married. Dr. What is your other name? Sp. I do not need to tell my name to a lot of women. Dr. There are some gentlemen present. Sp. How in the world did I get into this crowd of women? I hate women. Dr. You must have been disappointed in love. What was the trouble? Sp. I'd be a big fool to tell my secrets to a lot of women. Dr. Why did she marry the other man? Sp. Who? Dr. The girl who jilted you. Sp. She never in my life - no! Dr. Weren't you disappointed in love? Sp. No. Dr. Then why do you hate women?

 Sp. I must not tell you any of my secrets before this bunch of women, so they can sit here and laugh at me. I should like to know why all these women are staring at me. What's the matter with that man over there? (Spirit.) I mean the one behind that lady (Mrs. Burton seated in circle). Mrs. B. I'm a man hater; he can keep away from me. Sp. Why is that man around her? Is he her husband? Lady, what does he hang around you for? What's the matter with You? Do you like him so well that you want him to stick to you like glue? Dr. Ask him how long he has been dead. Sp. He sure is an ugly thing. I'm afraid of him. He looks like he wants to fight. Dr. Ask him how long he has been dead. Sp. Dead? He sticks so she can't move without him. Whenever she moves, he moves. He seems to me like a monkey. Mrs. B. Say, take him away with you, will you? Sp. Why should I take him for? For God's sake, I don't know the fellow! Do you like him, lady? Mrs. B. No, I don't. I'm tired of him. Sp. What's the matter with him? Is he your husband? Mrs. B. No, he is not, and I don't understand it myself. Sp. Do you like him? Mrs. B. No, I want him to get away from me. Sp. Where am I, anyhow? Dr. You are in Los Angeles, California. Sp. There's also a woman around her, and she sticks like glue. Mrs. B. Are you here to help us? Can't you take those things away from me? Sp. Do you like that man who is with you? Mrs. B. No, I am wild to get rid of him. The door is wide open; he can surely go. Sp. For God's sake, shut the door! I don't want such a man following me. Why don't you tell the police? Can't the police take him away from you, if you don't want him? Dr. They are all spirits. Sp. Spirits? Dr. Yes, like yourself. Sp. Oh, you tell me that man is a ghost, the one standing behind that woman there? Dr. Can you see him? Sp. He's no spirit, he's a man. He stands there. He's afraid she will get away from him and he can't follow. He says he is sick of her. Dr. He is a spirit but does not understand it. She does not see him and neither do we. He is invisible to us. Sp. What kind of a place is this I came to? Dr. We cannot see you either. Sp. You can't? Don't you hear me? Dr. We hear you, but we can't see you. Sp. Is this a crowd of blind people? I can see them all and lots more. The whole room is full of people. Dr. We can hear you, but we can only hear you talk through a woman's body.

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1Thirty Years Among the Dead by Dr. Carl A. Wickland, M.D. Originally published in 1924 Table of Contents Inter-Relationship of the Two Worlds ................................................................................ 2 Psychical Research ............................................................................................................ 12 Subconscious Mind and Auto-Suggestion Hypotheses Untenable ................................... 18 Earth Sphere Conditions and the Magnetic Aura.............................................................. 48 Tormenting Spirits & Marriage Disturbances ................................................................... 73 Spirits and Crime............................................................................................................... 93 Spirits and Suicide........................................................................................................... 108 Spirits and Narcotics, Inebriety, Amnesia....................................................................... 128 Psychic Invalidism .......................................................................................................... 157 Orphans ........................................................................................................................... 175 Materialism and Indifference .......................................................................................... 190 Selfishness ....................................................................................................................... 214 Orthodoxy........................................................................................................................ 244 Christian Science............................................................................................................. 277 Theosophy ....................................................................................................................... 301 Philosophy....................................................................................................................... 323 Conclusion....................................................................................................................... 350

2Chapter I Inter-Relationship of the Two Worlds The reality of an invisible world surrounding the physical world is for many difficult to comprehend, since the mind sphere is often limited to the visible and tangible; however, it requires but little thought to realize the constant change of matter as it occurs in three forms, solid, liquid and gaseous, in its range back and forth between the visible and invisible. Visible nature is but the invisible, the Real, made manifest through a combination of its elements; science informs us that fully ninety-five per cent of vegetation is derived out of the air, or atmosphere. Is not mankind living at the bottom of an invisible ocean, the atmosphere, which is even more important to physical existence than any of the visible physical substances, since life can continue but a few moments out of it? Nitrogen gas, constituting the greater bulk of the atmosphere, enters vitally into vegetable and animal growth and existence. Hydrogen and oxygen gases are constantly changing from a state of invisible vapor to visible and solid form. Carbon offers another example of similar transformation. Sounds, odors, the thermic law of heat and cold. and multitudes of other phenomena, ranging from the infinitesimal electron to the energy which moves the planets and suns, are all intangible, invisible factors. All activities, whether chemical, vital or mental, operate invisibly, as observed in chemical affinity, in energy, in plant life, in animal life, in intelligence and mentalization. So in every department of our manifest physical nature it is evident that all elements have their root and permanence in the invisible. The invisible is the source of the visible. Thus when we realize that the objective is only a combination of invisible substances and forces, the existence of an unseen world is readily comprehensible. Considering the wonderful advancement of science into the field of nature's finer forces, it is inconceivable that any thinking mind can fail to recognize the rationale of the independent existence of the human spirit apart for the physical body. No subject has been better authenticated through the ages and in all literature than that of spirit existence and a future life. Fiske, the historian, says: “Among all races of men, as far as can now be determined, ancestor worship” (contact with the spirits of the departed) “was the earliest form of worship . . . prevailing in Africa, Asia, China, Japan, among the Aryans of Europe and the American Indian tribes.” Allen, in his “History of Civilization” writes: “Rude tribes the world over are found to have ideas of a human soul, a spirit world, and generally a belief in immortality. Savages consider the next life simply a continuation of this; they also recognize an other self which has mysterious powers. Death is the abandoning of the body by this mysterious other self, which is conceived of as still existing in the near neighborhood. The loves and hates of this world are transferred to the spirit world.” Confucius said: “Bemoan not the departed with excessive grief. The dead are devoted and faithful friends; they are ever associated with us.” The writers of classic times – Socrates, Herodotus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Horace, Virgil, Plutarch, Josephus, Maximus of Tyre - repeatedly refer to spirit