Article by B. Herbert
A Faraday Cage is a metal enclosure designed to screen the interior from electrical disturbances. Originally Prof. L.L. Vasiliev (Leningrad University) utilised the cage to test whether it would prevent the transmission of hypnogenic telepathemes, (i.e. a telepathic message which induced a hypnotic state) with negative results, i.e. telepathemes continued to be transmitted in spite of the electrical screening, which was effective for wavelengths from 1 mm. to 1 km., and moreover the effect appeared to be independent of distance. Telepathemes were successfully transmitted, it is claimed, from Sebastopol to Leningrad (1,700 km.).
It was concluded that a telepathemic channel must be sought for in wavelengths outside the range 1 mm. - 1 km., or alternatively some other conceptual model such as gravity waves should be considered. At first glance, it seemed to many that these experiments provided at least a provisional basis for considering the possibility that telepathy is completely ‘non-physical’ in nature.
The mere fact however that telepathemes suffer no attenuation over long distances, does not necessarily support this hypothesis, as it is common knowledge that certain radio frequencies are received better at greater distances, and the inverse-square law is no criterion in this respect. It is true that no apparatus has been found in the brain which could conceivably decode such transmissions, but the brain is far more complex than was thought even ten years ago, and its sub-microscopic structure is far from being fully interpreted or understood. Moreover, Prof. Vasiliev stated: “One gets the impression that under conditions of double screening , the effects of mental suggestion not only failed to deteriorate, they actually improved”.
If this statement is indeed correct, we are surely obliged to abandon the notion that telepathy is non-physical in nature, as it would appear to be capable of influence from electrical conditions. The publication of the English translation of Prof. Vasiliev ’s book ‘Experiments in Mental Suggestion’ (ISMI, 1963) (book available at the link below article) has prompted the publication of experimental results obtained by Henry K. Puharich of the Intelectron Corporation, New York, U.S.A., using as subjects Eileen Garrett and Dr. Marchesi. A full account appears in the ‘International Journal of Neuropsychiatry' Oct. 1966, reprinted in ‘International Journal of Parapsychology’ Autumn 1967, the article being titled ‘Electrical Field Reinforcement of ESP’.
In March 1951, Mr. Puharich commenced a series of Faraday Cage tests, with Eileen Garrett as subject, the walls of the cage being charged with an A.C. field of 100 volts. A roulette wheel multiple-contact switch charged the cage in an irregular sequence (though not mathematically ‘random’) and it was found that the subject responded to switching transients. Eventually a target of a ten-second duration, 105 v., 640 cycle current, interrupted five times per sec., was employed. The subject’s voice was tape-recorded, the volume of the speech output being analyzed through an integrating circuit. The speech analysis was used as a psycho-motor index of depression or stimulation of the subject. On analysis it was found that an inspiratory gasp occurred when the cage was charged with an interrupted A.C. field. Adequate precautions were taken in subsequent experiments to eliminate the possibility of olfactory, gustatory or respiratory clues in the form of ionisation, auditory clues from vibration, and thermal clues.
When the subject was placed twelve feet outside the cage, at a point where a tuned coil showed a strong field, the subject was completely insensitive to the field, and had no distinct impression of any target in the sense in which she knew it inside the cage. This appears clearly to show that the cage was an essential component. The subject was not able to detect the switching on and off of a powerful magnetic field.
One striking feature of the series was the apparent reception of a precognitive telepatheme from the controlling engineer, the content of the telepatheme being the noted details of the random arrival time of the cosmic ray pulse, which could not have been predicted by normal means.
Control experiments were carried out with other subjects, who reported a sense of wellbeing or frankly exhibited euphoria after being in the cage for 15-30 minutes; though they developed extreme fatigue within 20 minutes when situated between the walls of two charged cages (one cage inside another); some reported nausea, headaches and vomiting; between the two cages they would presumably be located within a strong electrical field.
It may have been supposed that some unknown interaction between two electrical states (i.e. the charged walls and the uniform potential inside the cage) caused a physical stimulus to be transmitted to the subject. It was found however that the Faraday Cage condition was associated with statistically significant increases in ESP scoring rates when compared to control conditions (using symbols on cards). Mr. Puharich concludes from this that the theory of an electrical interaction between subject and electrical target was nulIified.
I cannot see that this conclusion necessarily follows; logically it would only follow if one assumes that ESP is non-electrical in nature, which is begging the question.
The frequency of the transients, six times per second, is of interest to us at the Paraphysical Laboratory, as we have often noticed that frequencies of this order have been associated with apparently successful experiments, e.g. the flicker-lamp experiments of Anne Slowgrove, the interruptions here being only slightly slower. Though owing to lack of funds, we are unable to erect a complete Faraday Cage in efficient condition, we have used a partial screening consisting of an earthed metal box encasing the heads of two subjects. This was on October 15th, 1967, with the following members of our group: Suzanne Padfield, Daphne Padfield, June Rice, Virginia Smart, Dr. J. Koot, M. Cassirer, B. Baily, M. Hinge, D. James, H.L. Slocock.
The subjects sat together under the apparatus, with the possibility of physical cues being eliminated with the exception of unconscious whispering, which will receive attention in future series in view of the apparent success of this pilot experiment. The best subjects were Suzanne Padfield and Deric James; M. Hinge selected one out of 5 objects (a battery, a plug, a penny, a pen, a ring of adhesive tape) and presented it to Miss Padfield, who grasped it in one hand; the object was not covered (though invisible to both subjects due to the screening device) and she was asked to feel it and turn it in her hand, with the purpose of transmitting the tactile sensation. Mr. James essayed to guess the object, achieving ten successes out of 20 trials.
Obviously this needs repeating under more stringent conditions, however as far as it goes, it appears to support the Russian and U.S. results. If other experimenters confirm this finding, we may be approaching the goal of a repeatable experiment; and if necessary to consider what conclusions may be drawn.
Basically, it would appear that under conditions of screening when electromagnetic radiation is damped or eliminated the brain is able to respond to some other radiation which can in some manner pass through the screen. If this takes place, irrespective of the frequencies eliminated, a hyperspace model would be suggested, as we have already proposed in previous issues.
Wave-motion in a liquid can assume two forms, (a) a ripple on the surface consisting of transverse molecular oscillations (b) a propagation in the body of the liquid consisting of longitudinal oscillations. If by analogy, it is supposed that normal electromagnetic wave propagation consists of transverse oscillations on the surface of a hypersphere then it is conceivable that longitudinal oscillations could also originate from the point of disturbance and spread into the hypersphere outside the spacetime continuum. This longitudinal propagation (if the analogy holds good) would manifest a different velocity and different laws of reflection and refraction, and could return to the surface thus circumventing any screening. If the longitudinal amplitude is minute by comparison with the transverse amplitude its effect upon neural circuits would be unnoticeable; but if the brain is protected from the transverse oscillations by means of a screening device, the weaker amplitude of the longitudinal oscillations could then be apparent.
This then would provide a reasonable conceptual model of the modus operandi of telepathy consistent with the experiments mentioned above by Vasiliev and Puharich.
One should therefore look for psychic effects possibly enhanced by conditions of partial or complete screening such as underground locations especially where the earth is damp. An extreme example of this type of case is the recent report (Sept. 21st, 1967) of unexplained lights seen 1,800 feet below ground level at Easington Colliery, Co. Durham. We have a number of cases in our files of alleged phantom in cellars, the most recent (Sept. 20th 1967) being located in the Wine Vaults, Abbeygate St., Bury St. Edmunds While occupying a mountain hut at an elevation of 1,500 feet, over a period of six months climbing and surveying prehistoric sites, I noticed many unusual sounds (which, in the absence of recording apparatus at the time, I can only say appeared to be paranormal, to judge from my experience without being able to offer evidence.) The most striking of these sounds occurred in that part of the hut abutting upon the steep mountainside, and almost buried in damp earth, likely to absorb some frequencies.
The many reports of ‘hauntings’ in country mansions may be significant in this connection, both because of their isolated position and their thick (and usually damp) walls, such as Littlecote, Sandford Orcas, etc. The case of the coffins found to have moved in a damp vault in Barbados also comes to mind. We are planning experiments in prehistoric structures such as the West Kennet barrow, buried under damp earth, in which Anne Slowgrove has already spent one night (reporting so far only subjective sensations usually referred to as ‘weird’.) Many prehistoric sites lie in extremely remote situations on mountain summits, as far as could be from electromagnetic disturbance. The Paraphysical Laboratory site has been deliberately selected for just this feature.
I suggest that the ideal ‘haunted house’ will be isolated, several miles from the nearest road, in a mountain valley, landscaped as it were into the environment, with massive, damp walls, a moat or streams nearby to assist earthing (we have two moated granges on our list), with not more than two or three inhabitants, to keep cerebral oscillations to a minimum. A horde of researchers and reporters should be avoided. The operative factor may well be the ratio of unoccupied volume to the total volume of brain matter. It should be noted that the above conditions for the ‘ideal haunted house’ are identical to the conditions which are supposed to be necessary by those who favour underground water explanations of haunting (creating subsidence in foundations resulting in noises, and by suggestion, phantoms)and it would not be a simple matter to distinguish between the two theories.
We have asked the Moscow Department of Technical Parapsychology, U.S.S.R., if they can arrange ESP tests in orbiting satellites, though we suspect that solar radiation may cause interference.