The Affairs of Hulham House

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

The Affairs of Hulham House is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle published in the magazine Light on 11 june 1927.


The Affairs of Hulham House

Light (11 june 1927, p. 281)

Sir, — If Dr. Worth cares to communicate with Miss Storr at Exmouth he will get every particular as to the case of her sister, since she was present with Miss Harvey at the bedside. The medical man in attendance had left the case, since it was obviously in extremis and his presence could avail nothing. It is a pure assumption that the condition was one of hysterical trance. When respiration and circulation have both ceased, the jaw has dropped, and the face is cyanosed round the lips, it is no exaggeration to say that a summons back to life promptly obeyed constitutes a preternatural incident. Of course we will agree that the etheric cord had not yet actually been severed.

I think Dr. Worth must have misunderstood Dr. Beale upon the subject of cancer. What I gathered from him was that he could not cure it in its more advanced stages. As a matter of fact, Miss Harvey, the medium, is said to have been cured of cancer, which had been certified by three medical men, before she was chosen as a special instrument.

I am quite in sympathy with Dr. Worth in regarding all cases of spirit healing with a critical medical eye, but I do not feel that we are justified in putting forward explanations such as hysteria, which have no basis in fact.

Yours, etc.,
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE, M.D.
London, S.W.1.