File:Thought Machine (d'Odiardi) - Los Angeles Herald (p. 26) - 1897-10-24.jpg

Summary

 * "LONDON, Oct. 10. &mdash; (Special Correspondence to The Herald.) 'Exercise your will,' said Copernicus, 'and your mind will grow apace.' Even this ancient sage never dreamed that which to him would have seemed a miracle, a machine that would enable any person to strengthen his will by exercising it, would be invented. Nevertheless such a machine has just come before the public and it has been proved by tests that it will do exactly what is claimed for it. No name has ever been given this remarkable invention, but it can honestly be called the wonder machine of the century. Think of a contrivance of inventive genius that actually moves or remains stationary. Just as you may will, just so long as you give it your attention. This strange creation was conceived in the brain of a French savant, M. Savary d'Odiardi, who is at present in London. He has made the idea this machine represents and the human emotions the study of his life, and knows more of the real facts concerning humanity than probably any other savant of the present day. He has, indeed, practically solved the problem of mental telegraphy, and with this machine approaches nearer to one of the unknown forces of nature than has any one else for at least centuries. He declares that we are still in the twilight of experiment, and with this remark ushers you into the presence of that tiny little machine that before you are done with it will fill you with uncanny thoughts and make your surroundings seem eerie for many an hour. To be technical for a moment, let us call the little instrument a register of cerebral force, or, in other words, a machine that indicates to us just what we think. A little pedestal stands in the inventor's study, workshop or laboratory — whatever you may please to call it — and upon this rests a bell, the home of mystery. Beneath this stands a metal disc inscribed with degrees, and directly over this disc, suspended by a wire so delicate that the thought of Damocles' sword comes to you at once, is a sensitized needle, fashioned very like a small hatchet. Here is the cerebral register, the interpreter of emotion, the will exerciser. Look at it carefully, and immediately it moves. Affected, despite your assumed indifference, you wonder what force it can possibly be that is making that needle sway first this way and then that. Gray-haired M. d'Odiardi leans on his stick and smiles on you so kindly that you never think of possible ridicule or amusement at your ignorance. 'It is your mind that moves the needle,' he says. 'The needle tells me that you are wondering, but as your face reveals that also, it is not surprising that I should know. Now look at the needle's point.' Immediately the tiny steel swings towards me. Just a second, and the needle swung slowly back. 'Will strongly,' said the inventor. 'Do that, and you will hold the needle facing you.' I did so, and lo! once again the needle slowly swayed towards me, and for a brief moment I held it directly before me purely by force of will. Then it swung away. It was apparent that my will was not capable of sufficient concentration for a longer period; or at least, not under those conditions. 'You would be surprised,' said the inventor, 'if you could see the effect that constant relation with this machine has upon the mental powers of a person. I do not exaggerate when I say that let a man who lacks concentration and stability of will do every day just what you have done with that machine for a month, and he will have more decision than he has ever had in his life. You see, it is not a theory, because here is the machine, and here are you to prove that so long as you concentrate your will upon the desire that that needle remain in front of you, it remained. With the ebbing or dispersion of your will power it retreats. 'I have studied for many years upon this branch of telepathy. It may sound ridiculous to say telepathy, still it is true. I myself have very strong will, but it is not due to the machine, although I fancy that has been of no little benefit to me at times. It is certainly true that any person who will exercise his mind with this instrument day after day and day after day will strengthen his will. Strengthen his character? No, no, no. No machine can be made that will do anything like that. But it reflects the human emotions as nothing that was ever conceived before has done. It is as delicate as it is possible for a machine to be, and the more one studies it, the more one realizes the delicacy of his emotions.' This is by no means all that the machine will accomplish, for it is immediately responsive to love, hate, uncertainty, joy, sorrow and other kindred emotions. As I stood in front of the instrument I thought of hate and [instantly] the needle receded from me violently. Love followed hate in my brain and the needle came toward me at once and directly. My thoughts grew uncertain and the needle moved in many directions in aimless fashion. By an effort I concentrated my mind upon the thought that I wanted, that needle to come and remain before me. Quicker than I could have expressed my wish the needle swung to a point directly fronting where I stood and remained in that position for fully a minute and a half. 'Hate, love, uncertainty,' the inventor named them all as the needle moved. At all times he watched the instrument as a father watches a child and yet to my certain knowledge he could in no way have influenced its action. 'Does the needle respond, only to volition?' I asked. 'Every cerebral radiation is registered by the needle,' he said, 'with or without the volition of the gazer, for, as you know, there is always unconscious cerebration. The condenser below the needle regulates its movements by absorbing all forces other than cerebral emanations. Idiots and persons addicted to drink or the taking of drugs, hardly deflect the needle, for the reason that the brain power has become paralyzed. 'While, as I have said, this subject has been my study for years, the first idea of this instrument came to me when I was studying the movements of a sensitized needle suspended to show earthquake oscillations. I noticed then that the needle would be deflected by the approach of an individual. From this I reasoned out an invention which you have seen work.' Several times of late years inventions of the sort described or rather with similar ends in view have been talked of, but none of them have proved successful. A commission of scientific men has carefully studied the little instrument of M. d'Odiardi, and every member admits it is a marvelous product of genius. Not one of them either tried to fathom or explain its mysteries."