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Ochorowicz, Julien (1850-1917)

Lecturer in psychology at the University of Lemberg, co-director from 1907 of the Institut Général Psychologique of Paris, and distinguished psychical researcher. He was born in Radzyn, Poland, on February 23, 1850, and educated at the University of Warsaw.

The medium Eusapia Palladino was his guest from November 1893 until January 1894 in Warsaw. Ochorowicz's conclusions did not favor the spirit hypothesis and he expressed his conviction that the phenomena were due to a "fluidic action" and were performed at the expense of the medium's own powers and those of the persons present.

The mediumship of Stanislawa Tomczyk was discovered by Ochorowicz. In his experiments with her, he achieved conspicuous success in psychic photography, having photographed what he believed was an etheric hand on the film, rolled together and enclosed in a bottle. Tomczyk was also successful in raising and suspending small objects in the air without contact with her hands. In 1911, Ochorowicz was awarded a prize of 1,000 francs by the Comité d'Etude de Photographie Transcendental for his experiments. A similar prize was awarded to him by the Academie des Sciences de Paris.

Ochorowicz was an honorary member of the Society for Psychical Research, London, the American Society for Psychical Research, and other societies in Hungary and Germany. He was author of over one hundred books, papers, and articles on psychology, philosophy, and psychical research. He died in Warsaw, Poland, on May 1, 1917.