Observations placeholder

Supernormal faculties in Man- Dr Eugene Osty

In August, 1913, Mme C., aged about thirty-five, and living in the country had severe hepatic colic. On coming to Paris soon after she had herself examined by Dr. T., a hospital surgeon, who called in Dr. G. These two eminent practitioners verified a gall-bladder enlarged by gall-stones, and considered an operation for their extraction necessary.

Dr. G. advised Mme C. to go back to the country, to ride, and even to hunt, intending to operate after the holidays, the case not being pressing. On the eve of a hunting party, September 8th, 1913, the severe pain in the region of the liver returned. I was called in, and found, below the liver, on a line with the gall-bladder, a swelling of the size of a small pear, clearly defined and painful to the touch.

No other abdominal symptoms, no peritonitis.

Temperature 39-2, pulse 80.

Knowing that an operation had been decided on and thinking that this recrudescence might make it desirable to advance the date, I advised that the patient should return to Paris as soon as the pain diminished. This was done the same day.

Drs. T. and G. examined her on her arrival. They were agreed in thinking that there was biliary cystitis provoked by the calculi under the action of physical exercise. They decided that she should remain in Paris, but that there was no occasion to advance the date of operation fixed for September 23rd. The case seemed benignant, and Dr. G. would not be resuming his surgical practice till about that date.

During the ensuing days Mme C. grew better. The doctors, the family, and the patient herself were optimistic. The resection of the gall-bladder was an easy task for so experienced a surgeon as Dr. G. Mme C.'s husband, unanxious about the issue, and deeply interested in my researches on supernormal cognition, asked me to name a subject whom he might visit to obtain personal evidence. I dissuaded him from the attempt, seeing no scientific end in view, and thinking that he might hear painful anticipations, false or true; but on his insistence I gave him the addresses of some very good professional subjects.

On September 19th he visited Mme Fraya, and asked her to speak of his life, without putting to her any precise question. Among other things, she said,

 "I feel you are in anxiety, concerning the illness of some one dear to you-your wife. . . She is to undergo an operation soon. . . . I fear that things will not go as well as expected. There will be an unfortunate surprise. . . . Days of great sorrow are approaching . . you will not keep your wife long . . . etc."

From the 19th to the 23rd all went well. The operation took place on that day and there was indeed a painful surprise. Instead of the gall-stones the gall-bladder and vessels were full of pus and the  whole outlook was different. On November 13th I was present at her death. She succumbed, with great serenity of mind, to failure of the liver and kidneys, due to infection from the biliary ducts.