CRYSTAL VISIONS.
Equally interesting devices of a related class, now growing in vogue among certain experimental hypnotists, are for application to sensitives for the purpose of causing hallucinations known as crystal visions. One instrument of this class is a ball of crystal mounted upon a handle. Mirrors and other polished or transparent surfaces are employed for the same effect. The crystal or reflecting medium by producing partly obscured or scattered reflections to the sensitive mind’s eye aid the subject in perceiving unnatural mental embodiments of various objects. Many abnormal persons, habitually haunted by phantasms, for which visions they develop appetites, so to speak, employ these crystals and reflectors for throwing themselves into states during which they may experience what is alleged to be the actual or imagined “sixth sense” or “second sight.” Crystal gazing has lately become so popular that many psychic experimentalists in Europe are inviting tests with the paraphernalia thus employed, and agents were some time since engaged by the Society for Psychical Research to furnish balls for the purpose. Prof. Wm. Romaine Newbold of the University of Pennsylvania recently made an extensive investigation of crystal vision and found that twenty-two subjects out of eighty-six could perceive illusions by gazing into mirrors, surfaces of water and objects of glass varying in form. Phantasms appeared to the sensitives usually within five minutes, being preceded directly by cloudiness, hazes of color or illuminations
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before the eyes. The phantasms varied from dim outlines to brilliant colored pictures. Like dreams some of these forms were based upon recent experiences of the subjects, while others were purely fantastic...
From—Evening Star. [volume], August 22, 1896
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
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