Biological Phenomena
Term used by parapsychologists for psychokinetic influences
on living systems, such as accelerating or retarding
growth of seeds, plants, or bacteria or apparently revivifying
anesthetized mice. J. B. Rhine used the term psychokinesis on
living targets, (expressed in the acronym PK-LT.)
Stimulating the growth of plants is a phenomenon occasionally
met with in spiritualist literature. It was claimed that
marked mango seeds were made to sprout by Charles Bailey,
the Australian apport medium. An Indian myrtle developed
from seed to a height of 16 inches in 20 minutes. A loquat seed
similarly grew with accelerated speed. His investigators at
Milan, Italy, in 1904 could not detect fraud in the performance.
However, Bailey was once detected in fraud, which has
thrown doubt upon his other phenomena. Moreover, the sudden
growth of mango plants is a well-known conjuring trick
performed by Hindu jugglers.
In Angelic Revelations published anonymously in 1875, William
Oxley wrote of a séance with Elizabeth dEsperance Yolande
brought me a rose with a short stem not more than an
inch long which I put into my bosom. Feeling something was
transpiring, I drew it out and found there were two roses. I then
replaced them and withdrawing them at the conclusion of the
meeting, to my astonishment the stem had elongated to seven
inches with three full blown roses and a bud upon it with several
thorns.
In certain individuals, some vital force seems to destroy bacteria,
prevent decomposition, and add vigor to dying flowers.
(See also emanations)
