The Coulomb affair and the 1884 Theosophical controversy

Record summary

In 1884, allegations by Emma and Alexis Coulomb challenged Helena Blavatsky’s claims about hidden phenomena and Mahatma communications at the Theosophical Society’s headquarters in Adyar. The controversy became especially important after Richard Hodgson investigated for the Society for Psychical Research and issued a strongly critical report in 1885. It offers a comparison case involving secret correspondence, alleged fraud, institutional factionalism, and later reassessment of investigative methods. Researchers should consult the Coulomb materials, Hodgson’s report, Theosophical replies, and modern archival scholarship rather than treating any single account as final.