How to Do Mechanical Tricks

The Witchery of the Hand.

Reading edition

In order to ascertain the existence of animal magnetism the following apparatus, very simple, and not at all difficult to construct, answers perfectly.

Stick a pin in a cork, point upwards. On that pivot place horizontally a sheet of paper so that it remains in perfect equilibrium.

Illustration from How to Do Mechanical Tricks Containing Complete Instruction for Performing Over Sixty Ingenious Mechanical Tricks

If you now put your hand over the sheet of paper, a rotary movement will manifest itself, the sheet swerving from right to left. This movement is caused by the influence of the hand’s magnetism.