Buchanan's Journal of Man, April 1887: Volume 1, Number 3

In Short

This volume is a collection of essays, editorial commentary, and instructional snippets centered on the author’s pursuit of "Psychometry" and "Sarcognomy." It argues that human destiny, health, and history are governed by invisible forces accessible through the brain and soul. By framing these theories as superior to conventional biology and traditional religion, the work seeks to establish a new, "divine" scientific framework. It remains a fascinating historical artifact, capturing a specific moment when fringe scientific beliefs were presented with the intellectual rigor and structural ambition of formal academic discourse.

The Story

The narrative arc of this journal is one of grand intellectual expansion, beginning with the bold assertion that "Psychometry" is the imperial rank among sciences. The author establishes the brain as the true center of all life, criticizing the medical field for remaining in an "acephalous" (headless) state. From this opening position, the journal moves to validate its claims through anecdotal evidence and historical parallels. It recounts the story of Farmer Potter, who was guided by an intuitive, prescient voice to find a specific preacher, John Murray, to deliver divine truth. This serves as the book's foundational proof: that the human spirit possesses an innate, prophetic faculty that transcends mere logic.

The argument then shifts toward the geopolitical and the miraculous. The author engages with the prevailing anxieties of 1887—specifically the widespread fear of a coming European war between France and Germany. While the press and military experts like General Wolseley predict an "appalling war," the author uses psychometric impressions to dismiss these fears as the "fantasy of passion and fear." The prediction is one of peace and clarity, positioning the intuitive soul as a calm observer above the fray of global politics.

Following this, the journal explores the tangible application of these theories through the life of Mr. George Milner Stephen, a former lawyer and statesman who discovered a miraculous healing power. His narrative—a transition from the cold, legalistic world to the intuitive, healing world—is used to bolster the journal's central thesis: that medicine is currently failing because it lacks a spiritual component. The journal then expands into a study of human longevity, providing a list of figures who lived into their eighties and nineties, attributing their survival not to luck, but to hygiene and "scientific magnetic treatment."

Finally, the text pivots to the practical, instructional side of its mission. It critiques current medical schools and introduces the "College of Therapeutics," where students can learn "Sarcognomy"—the anatomy of the vital forces of the body and soul. The journey concludes with the presentation of testimonials from students who have been "delighted" by these teachings. The journal leaves the reader with a vision of a future where conventional, dogmatic science is replaced by this refined, soul-centered understanding, offering a curriculum for the enlightened. It is a progression from theoretical assertion to historical justification, through global prophecy, and finally to a codified system of instruction that promises to revolutionize the human experience.

How It Unfolds

The Imperial Science The volume opens by establishing Psychometry as the primary science, arguing that it holds the key to understanding both the past and the future. It dismisses traditional biology as a "headless corpse" for failing to prioritize the study of the brain.

Prophecy and Intuition The text moves to historical examples of spiritual guidance, such as the fortuitous meeting between a pious farmer and a lost minister. This section aims to prove that human history is directed by an unseen, divine intelligence that can be accessed by the sensitive mind.

The War Scare The author directly confronts contemporary international tensions, using psychometric readings to contradict the panicked reporting of the global press. This section asserts that the intuitive soul is capable of discerning truth where the masses see only conflict.

The Miracle Worker A detailed interview with a former statesman turned healer illustrates the practical application of spiritual forces. This beat serves to bridge the gap between abstract theory and the tangible, albeit unverified, results of "magnetic" medicine.

Longevity and Hygiene The journal provides a list of centenarians and long-lived historical figures to support the argument for a better way of living. It posits that longevity is a result of specific mental and physical practices rather than mere biological accident.

Institutionalizing Truth The volume concludes by codifying these ideas into a formal course of study. By presenting the curriculum of the College of Therapeutics, the author transitions from critiquing existing medical institutions to creating a replacement for them.

The People

The central figure is the editor, Dr. Joseph Rodes Buchanan, a man of relentless conviction who stands as the primary advocate for a new synthesis of science and spirit. He wants to dismantle the "medical despotism" of the 1880s and replace it with a system based on his own discoveries. His path is obstructed by the skepticism of the academic establishment and the "commonplace" thinking of the public, yet he remains undeterred, viewing himself as a minister of a higher, forgotten truth.

Farmer Potter serves as the archetypal believer, a simple man whose unshakable faith and intuition allow him to anticipate the arrival of a divine messenger. He represents the ideal relationship between the human spirit and the cosmos—one of trust and expectation. In contrast, figures like the statesman-turned-healer George Milner Stephen represent the transition from the material world to the spiritual. He wants to heal the sick without traditional medicine, standing as proof that a man of high culture and legal training can find purpose in the "miraculous."

Finally, the "multitude" of skeptics and the medical faculty represent the force of inertia. They stand in the way of the progress Dr. Buchanan advocates, clinging to their "crumbling ruin" of a belief system. These figures do not evolve; they remain trapped in the "dark ages" of thought, while the protagonists of the journal look toward a brighter, clearer sky.

In Its Own Voice

"But in its present acephalous condition it is but a fragment of science--a headless corpse, unfit to rank among complete sciences."

The author describes the state of biology when it is practiced without a deep understanding of the brain.

"A single good psychometric perception is worth much more than Mr. Everybody's opinion, whether upon national policy, personal character, historical truth, or medical science."

This sentence highlights the author’s disdain for public consensus in favor of intuitive, spiritual insight.

"Sarcognomy is the true basis of medical practice, while anatomy is the basis only of operative surgery and obstetrics."

The author defines the hierarchy of his proposed medical philosophy, prioritizing the study of vital forces over physical structures.

What It's Really About

At its core, this journal is a search for a unified theory of human experience. It asks how the physical, mental, and spiritual worlds can be mapped and controlled through the brain. The primary argument is that modern society has severed the connection between the "psycho-organic brain" and the "non-psychic body," leading to illness, unnecessary war, and spiritual decay. By attempting to quantify intuition and map the soul, the author seeks to reclaim the authority of the individual over the rigid, cold institutions of the era. It is a rebellion against materialist science, suggesting that if we can truly understand the anatomy of our own vital forces, we can command our health and our collective future.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of ideas will find this book a captivating look at how nineteenth-century thinkers grappled with the rapid rise of scientific secularism. It is written with a fierce, uncompromising warmth; you feel the editor’s palpable frustration with the world around him and his genuine excitement for his own discoveries. However, the text requires patience. It carries the heavy, often rigid language of the 1880s, and its dismissal of standard medical practices—alongside its dated views on indigenous people and spiritualist phenomena—can be jarring.

You will likely be struck by how the author’s "alternative" medical language mirrors modern debates about holistic health and "mind-body" connections. It feels remarkably modern in its desire for a personalized, intuitive approach to wellness. Reading this is like stepping into a private laboratory where the laws of nature are being rewritten in real-time. What stays with you is the editor’s absolute refusal to accept the limits of his time, a quality that makes him a fascinating, if occasionally exasperating, guide through the intellectual fringe of the Victorian era.