The Study of Trance and Muscle Reading and Allied Nervous Phenomena in Europe and America, with a Letter on the Moral Character of Trance Subjects, and a Defence of Dr. Charcot.
New York: NP [ Medical Heritage Library ], 1882. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 40pp. Cloth covered boards lettered in black on upper cover, b&w frontis and illustrations. The author, George Miller Beard (1839 – 1883), was an American neurologist who took a particular interest in debunking the claims of spiritualists. As well as popularising the term neurasthenia, Beard also invented the term muscle reading to describe the technique used by mentalists - notably J. Randall Brown about whom he wrote - to determine the thoughts of a subject by close observation of what might now be termed their "body language" but which appeared to be a form of mind reading. This copy from the personal library of Eric John Dingwall (1890–1986) with his ownership signature in pencil on front free endpaper. Dingwall was a great eccentric, an anthropologist and (somewhat skeptical) psychical researcher, who served from 1922 to 1927 as a research officer for the Society for Psychical Research, he was a prolific author and one-time Keeper of Books at the British Library. He was affectionately known as "Dirty Ding" by some colleagues on account of his interest in the byways of erotic bibliography. Also previously from the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman, with his ex-libris seal blind-stamped on the front free endpaper. Covers unevenly faded, edges a bit rubbed - fore-edge a bit frayed, front endpaper unevenly browned, lower spine bumped, front endpaper split a bit at lower inner hinge but all holding well, pages toned but unmarked. Still oveall a tight clean near VG copy. Very unusual. Item #62145
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