Electric Girls
Girls in whose presence certain phenomena occurred, similar in nature to the time-honoured phenomena of the poltergeist (q.v.), but ascribed to the action of some new physical force, probably electricity. The best known of these electric girls was perhaps Angelique Cottin, a Normandy peasant girl, whose phenomena were first observed about 1846. Finally she was taken to Paris and placed under the observation of Dr. Tanchon and others, who testified to the actuality of the phenomena. These included the movement of objects without contact, or at a mere touch from Angeliqué's petticoats, the agitation in her presence of the magnetic needle, and the blowing of a cold wind. She was also able to distinguish between the poles of a magnet at a touch. A commission appointed by the Academy of Sciences, however, could observe nothing but the violent movements of her chair, which were probably caused by muscular force. Other electric girls practised about the same time, and even after the beginding of the spiritualistic movement in America they were occasionally heard of. They are worthy of note as a link between the poltergeist and the spiritualistic medium.