in highly developed cases, become what is called a 'secondary
personality.' They may give a weak imitation of discourse. They may
assume a vague resemblance to some other individual, but they can
never give a full statement or a new statement. This is why all the
so-called spirit communications are so fragmentary and so futile. The
cure of any such state is to set up a strong current of
counter-suggestion."

Weissmann asked: "Is it not extravagant to say that there can exist in
the unconscious mind of a young girl, a skill so great as will enable
her to draw intricate patterns, manipulate objects at a distance, and
impersonate dead persons unknown to her?"

"But there you have passed into the region of hallucination or
deceit."

"I'm not so sure of that. I do not see how fraud or hallucination can
come into the most of what we saw last night. I will admit that coming
alone by itself the test would have little weight; but it does not
come alone. The literature of the subject is great and growing."

Tolman smiled. "Yes, the newspapers are filled with accounts of
mediums exposed."

They entered then upon a discussion of the trance, and passed to a
consideration of multiple personality, which brought out many singular
facts. "We learned also," Tolman said in discussion of a certain case
which he had studied, "that certain drugs have the power of arousing
specific nerve-centres, and that in cases of alternating personality
by flooding the brain with blood we were able to bring back the normal
self."

"Doesn't that weaken your argument of the power of mind over matter?"
asked Serviss, profoundly interested in this assertion.

"Not at all. It is my belief in the drug that influences the patient."

Serviss laughed and Weissmann's mouth twitched. "You cannot head them
off--these modern mind-specialists! They plunge into the subconscious
like prairie-dogs into the sod, only to come up at a new point."

Tolman's interest in the unknown psychic was now keen, and he asked
for a chance to try his powers.

To this Serviss was strongly averse. "I have never had a chance at a
case of this kind and I would very much like to experiment. Perhaps I
may need you; but if suggestion is what you claim it to be, if the
power is really in the mind of the subject, I can arouse it as well as
any one. But as a believer in matter I would like to ally myself with
the drug you mention."

"Very well, here is the prescription." He jotted