of the neck are
inserted in the cranium, a point so acutely sensitive that the child
would not suffer there the lightest touch; and, finally, that the girl's
pulse, often irregular, usually varied from one hundred and five to one
hundred and twenty beats a minute.

A curious observation made by this physician was, that, at the moment of
greatest action, a cool breeze, or gaseous current, seemed to flow from
her person. This he felt on his hand, as distinctly as one feels the
breath during an ordinary expiration.[15]

He remarked, also, that the intermittence of the child's power seemed to
depend in a measure on her state of mind. She was often in fear lest
some one should touch her from behind; the phenomena themselves agitated
her; in spite of a month's experience, each time they occurred she drew
back, as if alarmed. And all such agitations seemed to diminish her
power. When she was careless, and her mind was diverted to something
else, the demonstrations were always the most energetic.

From the north pole of a magnet, if it touched her finger, she received
a sharp shock; while the contact of the south pole produced upon her no
effect whatever. This effect was uniform; and the girl could always tell
which pole touched her.

Dr. Tanchon ascertained from the mother that no indications of puberty
had yet manifested themselves in her daughter's case.

Such is a summary of the facts, embodied in a report drawn up by Dr.
Tanchon on the fifteenth of February. He took it with him on the evening
of the sixteenth to the Academy of Sciences, and asked M. Arago if he
had seen the electric girl, and if he intended to bring her case that
evening to the notice of the Academy. Arago replied to both questions in
the affirmative, adding,--"If you have seen her, I shall receive from
you with pleasure any communication you may have to make."

Dr. Tanchon then read to him the report; and at the session of that
evening, Arago presented it, stated what he himself had seen, and
proposed that a committee should be appointed to examine the case. His
statement was received by his audience with many expressions of
incredulity; but they acceded to his suggestion by naming, from the
members of the Academy, a committee of six.

It appears that Arago had had but a single opportunity, and for the
brief space of less than half an hour, of witnessing the phenomena to
which he referred. M. Cholet, the speculator who advanced to her parents
the