Research source

Sometimes one method succeeds, while another fails

Date of account: Early twentieth century
Source: True Ghost Stories
Reference: True Ghost Stories · selected passage 59
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-24

Record summary

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

Source passage

Source text · mention only

Sometimes one method succeeds, while another fails. I have known of cases where "exorcism" worked a complete cure; of others in which it failed miserably. I have known of cases in which suggestion, rightly applied, rid the house of its ghost; in other instances, no result was produced by similar methods! In a few instances mediums and psychics have been able to assist; in others their presence only seemed to make matters worse. We can but experiment and learn. Those who may be more interested in this aspect of the question will find it treated in Chapter XV. of my book "_The Coming Science_," which is devoted to "Haunted Houses and their Cure."

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This comes from historical psychical research. Methods, witness handling and standards of evidence differ from present-day research and should be assessed from the cited passage and edition.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

The passage can support a history of claims and recurring descriptions. It does not establish a paranormal mechanism, and competing psychological, social and physical explanations remain relevant.

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