"Of all mysteries in the realm of magic," the performer says, "the East Indian Needle Feat is supreme." (See Jinx #1 - Ed.) He patters on "In the presentation of that oriental deception, one which must have been developed from the feat of laying on sharpened spikes, the fakir swallows from 25 to 50 needles and follows this repast with several yards of thread and a glass of water. After incantations of doubtful origin the needles and thread are up-chucked, and the sewing appliances found threaded upon that product of the spinner's art." (Note before going farther, where in hell…
Editor's note : Mr Proskauer kindly presented this effect to Jinx readers and I have not taken the liberty of changing the wording of his instructions. Modern ownership of magical effects is always in doubt unless its creator really does invent something new, novel and different. Whenever a magician announces "This is an original effect," in keeping with other magicians who have a fairly large magical library, I smile skeptically. One magician may make the pass; another magician with a clever shuffle achieves the same effect of bringing a card to the top or bottom of a pack. It doesn't…
In effect this is practically the same as has been done before, but the method is far advanced in simplicity and safety is the important feature. The performer at no time has a loose needle in his mouth, his mouth is absolutely empty at the start and will stand a physician's examination, and there is no secret loading of the inevitable threaded packet. For personal use, I found Crowley #4 Sharps a practical size. From magicdom's largest supply house (Woolworth) obtain a large spool of white linen thread. Have the center of this spool bored out making a hole about…