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A Human Experiment in Nerve Division
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committed to paper the night before the testing began. But R. always varied this order to such an extent, that H. remained ignorant of the results until the close of the sitting. This was especially the case with the compass-records; for instance, during many months, H. purposely refrained from inquiring into the nature of R.'s series of observations on the phenomenon of "double ones."

Throughout the examination, R. recorded exactly the procedure and H.'s answer at the time. At the close of a series, whilst still ignorant of the actual tests applied by R., H. dictated a note commenting on his experiences. Even then he was not told the nature of R.'s manipulations, unless some new fact had appeared which demanded immediate consideration.

Under no circumstances was H. allowed to know at the time whether his answers were right or wrong. For if he was told he had answered wrongly, he was roused to an intense determination to do better, producing thus a mental condition which was found to be unfavourable for the appreciation of sensory stimuli. Knowing his answers had not been correct, he would catch at every accessory circumstance in his attempt to interpret his sensations.

H. always sat with his eyes closed throughout the examination, as he found that this produced in him the condition most favourable for sensory testing. He always answered more correctly to all tests which required no close introspection when he did not attempt to think of what was going on. He would sit with closed eyes, his head resting on the right hand and his attention wandering widely over internal images. He soon learnt to adopt at will this state of passivity, provided he was undisturbed. But a knock at the door, or the entry of the servant, would rouse him into a state in which he again began to interpret his sensations.

H.'s mental processes are based upon visual images to a remarkable degree. Every thought is in some way bound up with internal vision, and even numbers, the days of the week and abstract ideas, such as virtue and cowardice, are associated with images of varying tones of white and black. He cannot recall musical sounds, except by seeing the notes or attaching the sounds to words which are clearly visualized. He has no power of reproducing directly scents or cutaneous sensations. He knows that the scent of violets is pleasing, and recognizes it with ease whenever it is present; but he is unable to recall a scent or a tactile impression in the same way that he can project the memory-picture of an object once seen.