Item #62978 Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemical Attraction, in Their Relations to the Vital Force, Parts I and II, including the second edition of the first part, corrected and improved; Translated and Edited, at the Express Desire of the Author, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix. Translated and REICHENBACH, William Gregory, Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Reichenbach.
Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemical Attraction, in Their Relations to the Vital Force, Parts I and II, including the second edition of the first part, corrected and improved; Translated and Edited, at the Express Desire of the Author, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix
Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemical Attraction, in Their Relations to the Vital Force, Parts I and II, including the second edition of the first part, corrected and improved; Translated and Edited, at the Express Desire of the Author, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix
Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemical Attraction, in Their Relations to the Vital Force, Parts I and II, including the second edition of the first part, corrected and improved; Translated and Edited, at the Express Desire of the Author, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix

Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemical Attraction, in Their Relations to the Vital Force, Parts I and II, including the second edition of the first part, corrected and improved; Translated and Edited, at the Express Desire of the Author, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix

London: Taylor Walton and Mabberly, 1850. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Large octavo. xlv, (iii), 463pp + 3 folding plates at rear + 7pp adverts. Original brown cloth with decorative borders blind on both boards, gilt lettering to spine, appendix, 23 text wood-cuts, b&w in-text figures, printed adverts on endpapers. Baron Dr. Carl (Karl) Ludwig Freiherr von Reichenbach (1788-1869) was an eminent Prussian scientist, industrialist, and philosopher, who in his later years devoted himself to researching a form of vital energy that he felt radiated from all living things. He termed this the Odic (Odylic) Force and it is largely the subject of this book. He believed that the force manifested in a way not dis-similar to more recent notions of the aura, and that given the right conditions (total darkness) it could be observed by suitably trained sensitives. His theories were quite respected at the time: with some declaring that they explained the forces described in the teachings of Swedenborg and Mesmer. There is also little doubt that they directly or indirectly influenced many later proponents of the existence of vital energy fields such as Wilhelm Reich. However conventional researchers were unable to replicate von Reichenbach's experiments, and dismissed his theories as 'crank science.' From the collection of Dr. M. H. Coleman with his ex-libris blind seal on first leaf. Cloth somewhat rubbed overall and unevenly darkened, all edges and extremities rubbed and bumped with some light fraying to corners and spine ends, page edges darkened, first leaves unevenly browned with some spotting and light foxing, owner's name and bookseller's note on front endpapers, owner's inkstamp on title page, light damp mark to lower edge of 3rd folding plate, short closed tear at lower edge of 2nd folding plate, pages toned with a few creased corners and short edge tears. Appears to have been expertly and almost invisibly recased, retaining the original endpapers. Still a complete, internally clean Good + copy of this scarce edition. Item #62978

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