I'm looking for any information about this subject. I know that Al Mann has a manuscript about it but other than that couldn't find anything in the paranormal and skeptical books.

I'm intersted in finding out not only about effects along the line but also about people who claimed to have the ability to see through walls.

Thanks in advance for any pointers or help,

Yaniv Deautsch

Yaniv, here's a few practioners of this astounding art.

In 1828, a youth called Caspar Hauser walked into Nuremberg with bleeding feet. He had been kept imprisoned in a darkened room since birth. Doctors examined him and discovered that he was able, perhaps as a result of his cruel upbringing, to read aloud from the Bible in a completely dark room, and see the heat from a stove, long before it became red-hot. I think the Bible in the dark, makes a nice plot for a book test. Several methods suggest themselves.

Some hypnotists have experimented with this hyper-vision. Alfred Russel Wallace, who shares much of the credit for the theory of evolution with Darwin, was a self-taught hypnotist. As a young teacher, he experimented with his pupils, and through hypnotism, was able to get his subjects to see through walls. They could also, reportedly, taste, and feel pain, remotely. If Wallace ate something, his subjects could taste it. They also went ouch, if Wallace jabbed himself with a pin.

A Dr Gustav Pagenstecher, was able to induce similar abilities in his hypnotic subject Maria de Zerold, in the 1920's. She too could feel and taste remotely. She also could see through closed eyes. Even into the next room.

Finally, in March 1978, a Russian woman, Yuliya Vorobyeva, 28, was pronounced dead after receiving a 380 volt electric shock. She recovered, after two days in the morgue, but was unable to sleep for six months. Finally, she slept for 'a long time', and awoke to find she had many powers. 'I went shopping one morning. I got to the bus-stop and a woman was standing there. Suddenly I was struck by horror-I thought I could see right through this woman like a television screen.' She was interviewed in 1987, and was able to tell the reporter what he had had for lunch, simply by looking at his stomach. She later used this ability to diagnose illness. What I like about this last case, is the convincing detail of this X-Ray vision being horrific, when first experienced. I mean, who really wants to see into people's bodies? Was it Ray Milland who went mad in that weird film, 'The man with x-ray eyes'?

Cold reading or pre-show could duplicate the charming, 'I can see the contents of your stomach' effect. I'd be tempted to try the remote tasting/smelling effect at a party, too. One could wear lead goggles, to 'prevent me from seeing what you're eating in there. I have x-ray eyes you know'. Actually, I think this remote smelling effect would be quite fun done for real, by the guests at a psychic party. Have some transmitters and receivers, some bottles of smelly stuff, and record the results. Congratulate, or commiserate, accordingly. Another effect that springs to mind is duplicating the actions of a spectator, who is on the other side of a screen to you. The rest of the audience, apart from a small committee, can see that you mirror the volunteer's actions. This is put down to x-ray vision.

The most famous practioner of seeing through walls is, of course, Superman. But like me, he can't see through lead either.

Regards,

Caleb Strange.

I used to do an effect where I would go into one room with a couple of witnesses. In another room someone would chose a random number or playing card write it down. They would do a simple drawing. Meanwhile I would reproduce it in front of witness's on a drawing pad in the other room. When we went back into the other room it was spot on. Witness's saw me write or draw everything before I left the room. And were standing right next to me looking on to the pad.

No Pre-show You could easily routine this to look like you are looking through a wall.

I can see partly through walls.
But, after a while, I got pretty tired of looking at insulation!

You may wish to check the book, The Psychic Feats of Olof Jonsson, by Brad Steiger.
There are a couple interesting anecdotes describing his ability to see through walls.

T

There is an amazing story by Roald Dahl called "The Wonderful Tale of Henry Sugar." You should read that. It's really good.
It describes how a guy went through these practices for many many years until he was able to see through books, walls, cards and such.
It describes the practices, but I've never tried them, so as far as I know, they might be true.