On Clairvoyance and Prevision
341
of the experiment and unknown to any of those present in the room with the sleeper, the operation of telepathy from a distance is still not excluded. We should clearly not be justified in attributing a power of independent vision to the clairvoyant. The following example will serve to illustrate the type.
The narrative, written by Dr. Alfredo Barcellos, was communicated to us by Professor Alexander, of Rio de Janeiro, who has himself investigated the circumstance.
[The incident occurred on the 19th of March, 1895, and the account was sent to us on the 29th December, 1896. Dr. Barcellos had just visited a patient, Donna X., who was convalescing from pleurisy on the left side. The recovery was retarded by severe anaemia, from which, however, no danger was apprehended. From Donna X.'s house Dr. Barcellos went direct to the house of Donna G., another patient whom he was treating by means of hypnotism. On this occasion Donna G. after passing into the trance] "suddenly became grave—frowned as if engaged in some effort of thought (
como figurative e preoccupada), and with that vivid presentation that characterises somnambules, uttered, in substance, the following words, which made a profound impression on my memory: 'Dr. Barcellos, that patient of yours is dying. Poor thing!—See the children weeping round her. Look—there goes a messenger in all haste to your house to call you. This is what she said:' (Here G. tried to imitate the faint tones of a person
in articulo mortis)—#"Help me, Dr. Barcellos, I am dying!"' (Returning to her natural voice)' Poor thing!—a stout woman, too—and to say that stoutness is a sign of health. It is useless, doctor—she is dead! ' As at that time the person I had just visited was [G. excepted] my only
