Psychic surgery is a procedure typically involving the apparent creation of an incision using only the bare hands, the apparent removal of pathological matter, and the seemingly spontaneous healing of the incision.
Psychic surgery has been condemned in many countries as a form of medical fraud. It has been denounced by the
USThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Federal Trade CommissionThe Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
as a "total hoax", and the
American Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service."The society is...
maintains that psychic surgery may cause needless death by keeping the ill away from life-saving medical care. Medical professionals and skeptics consider it
sleight of handSleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or légèreté des mains , is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
and any positive results a
placebo effectPlacebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
.
It first appeared in the Spiritualist communities of the
PhilippinesThe Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
and
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
in the mid-1900s, and it has taken different paths in those two countries.
Procedure
Although psychic surgery varies by region and practitioner, it usually follows some common lines. Without the use of a surgical instrument, a practitioner will press the tips of his/her fingers against the patient's skin in the area to be treated. The practitioner's hands appear to penetrate into the patient's body painlessly and blood seems to flow. The practitioner will then show organic matter or foreign objects apparently removed from the patient's body, clean the area, and then end the procedure with the patient's skin showing no wounds or scars.
Most cases do not involve actual surgery although some practitioners make real incisions. The practitioners are using
sleight of handSleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or légèreté des mains , is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
techniques to produce
bloodBlood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells — such as nutrients and oxygen — and transports waste products away from those same cells....
or blood-like fluids, animal tissue or substitutes, and/or various foreign objects from folds of skin of the patient as part of a confidence game for financial benefit of the practitioner.
Two psychic surgery practitioners provided testimony in an
Federal Trade CommissionThe Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
trial that, to their knowledge, the organic matter apparently removed from the patients usually consists of animal tissue and clotted blood. In regions of the world where belief in evil spirits is prevalent, practitioners will sometimes exhibit objects, such as glass, explaining that the foreign bodies were placed in the patient's body by evil spirits.
History
Accounts of
psychicA psychic is a person who claims to have the ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception, or is said to have such abilities by others...
surgery started to appear in the Spiritualist communities of the
PhilippinesThe Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
and
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
in the mid-1900s.
Philippines
In the Philippines, the procedure was first noticed in the 1940s, when performed routinely by Eleuterio Terte. Terte and his pupil Tony Agpaoa, who was apparently associated with the
Union Espiritista Christiana de Filipinas (The Christian Spiritist Union of the Philippines), trained others in this procedure.
In 1959, the procedure came to the attention of the U. S. public after the publication of
Into the Strange Unknown by Ron Ormond and
Ormond McGillOrmond Dale McGill was the "Dean of American Hypnotists".Born in Palo Alto, California, McGill became interested in magic as a child , but first studied hypnosis in 1927 while still a teenager...
. The authors called the practice "
fourth dimensionIn physics and mathematics, a sequence of n numbers can be understood as a location in an n-dimensional space. When n = 4, the set of all such locations is called 4-dimensional Euclidean space....
al surgery," and wrote "[we] still don’t know what to think; but we have motion pictures to show it wasn’t the work of any normal magician, and could very well be just what the Filipinos said it was — a miracle of God performed by a fourth dimensional surgeon."
Alex OrbitoAlex Orbito is a Filipino psychic surgeon.-Biography:Alex Orbito was born in the Philippines, near the town of Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija the 14th child in a farming household. Alex's mother is considered to be one of the founders of the Philippines' spiritualist movement...
, who became well-known in the U. S. through his association with actress
Shirley MacLaineShirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, dancer, activist, and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
was one said practitioner of the procedure. On June 14, 2005, Orbito was arrested by Canadian authorities and indicted for fraud.
Psychic surgery made U.S. tabloid headlines in March 1984 when comedian
Andy KaufmanAndrew Geoffrey Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
, diagnosed with
large cellLarge cell is a term used in oncology. It does not refer to a particular type of cell; rather it refers to cells that are larger than would be normally expected for that type...
carcinomaA carcinoma is any malignant cancer that arises from epithelial cells. Carcinomas invade surrounding tissues and organs and may metastasize, or spread, to lymph nodes and other sites....
(a rare
lung cancerLung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, which is the invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells...
), traveled to the Philippines for a six-week course of psychic surgery. Practitioner Jun Labo claimed to have removed large cancerous tumors and Kaufman declared to believe the cancer had been removed. Kaufman died from renal failure as consequence of a
metastaticMetastasis , or metastatic disease, sometimes abbreviated mets, is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part...
lung cancer, on May 16, 1984.
Brazil
The origins of the practice in Brazil are obscure; but by the late 1950s several "spiritual healers" were practicing in the country. Many of them were associated with Kardecism, a major
spiritualisticSpiritualism is a monotheistic belief system or religion, postulating a belief in God, but the distinguishing feature is belief that spirits of the dead can be contacted, either by individuals or by gifted or trained "mediums", who can provide information about the afterlife.Spiritualism developed...
movement in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
, and claimed to be performing their operations merely as
channelsChanneling, or channelling, can refer to*Channelling , the process that constrains the path of a charged particle in a crystalline solid....
for spirits of deceased medical doctors. Others were following practices and rituals known as "
UmbandaUmbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with CatholicismUmbanda is related to and has many similitudes with other Afro-Brazilian religions like Candomblé, Batuque, Macumba, Quimbanda, Xambá, Egungun, Ifá, Irmandade, Confraria, Xangô do Nordeste and Tambor de Mina, but...
", a shamanic
ritualisticOrthopraxy is a term derived from Greek meaning "correct action/activity", and is a religion that places emphasis on conduct, both ethical and liturgical, as opposed to faith or grace etc...
religion with mediumistic overtones inherited from the African slaves brought to the country in colonial times.
A known Brazilian psychic healer who routinely practiced psychic surgery was Zé Arigó, who claimed to be channeling for a deceased medical doctor of name
Dr. FritzAdolf Fritz, generally called Dr. Fritz , was a hypothetical German surgeon whose spirit has allegedly been channeled by several Brazilian psychic surgeons, starting with Zé Arigó in the 1950s and continuing up to the present...
. Unlike most other psychic healers, who work bare-handed, Arigó used a non surgical blade. Other psychic healers who claimed to channel for Dr. Fritz were
Edson QueirozN.B.: This article pertains to the businessman Edson Queiroz, not the controversial medical figure by the same name.Edson Queiroz was a Brazilian entrepreneur, founder of one of the largest business groups in Brazil.-Biography:...
and Rubens Farias Jr.. Popular today (especially abroad) is
João de DeusJoão Teixeira de Faria , known also as João de Deus , is a medium and according to himself, a psychic surgeon in Brazil. He is based in Abadiânia, a small town in the state of Goiás, southwest of Brasília.-Early life:...
, a psychic healer in
AbadiâniaAbadiânia is a small town and municipality in the state of Goiás, Brazil. It is home to a famous Brazilian medium and "psychic surgeon" — João de Deus.-Location:Abadiânia is part of the Entorno de Brasília statistical micro-region...
, state of
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The most central of the Brazilian states and most populous of the region, Goiás is characterized by a landscape of chapadões...
.
According to the descriptions of
Yoshiaki OmuraThe Bi-Digital O-Ring Test , characterized as a form of applied kinesiology, is a patented alternative medicine procedure in which a patient forms an 'O' with his or her fingers, and the diagnostician subjectively evaluates the patient's finger strength as he/she tries to pry them open with his/her...
, Brazilian psychic surgery appears to be different from that practiced in the Philippines. Omura calls attention to the fact that practitioners in Brazil use techniques resembling Qi Gong,
ShiatsuShiatsu is a traditional hands-on therapy originating in Japan. There are two main Shiatsu schools; one based on western anatomical and physiological theory and the other based on Traditional Chinese Medicine...
massage, and
chiropracticChiropractic is a health care discipline and profession that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine, under the hypothesis that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system...
manipulation. Some patients are also injected with a brown liquid, and alleged minor surgery was performed in about 20% of the cases observed . While Arigó performed his procedures using kitchen knives in improvised settings, Omura reports that the clamping of blood vessels and the closing of the surgical wounds are now performed by licensed surgeons or licensed nurses.
Reports and studies
Russell Targ & Jane Katra reported cases, which they said might be genuine, for example an American official who had a growth on his arm.
Medical and legal criticism
In 1975, the
Federal Trade CommissionThe Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
declared that "'psychic surgery' "is nothing but a total
hoaxA hoax is a deliberate attempt to deceive or trick an audience into believing, or accepting, that something is real, when the hoaxer knows it is not; or that something is true, when it is false...
"." Judge Daniel H. Hanscom, when granting the FTC an injunction against travel agencies promoting psychic surgery tours, declared: "Psychic surgery is pure and unmitigated fakery. The 'surgical operations' of psychic surgeons ... with their bare hands are simply phony."
In 1990, the
American Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service."The society is...
stated that it
found no evidence that "psychic surgery" results in objective benefit in the treatment of any medical condition, and strongly urged individuals who are ill not to seek treatment by psychic surgery.
The British Columbia Cancer Agency "strongly urges individuals who are ill not to seek treatment by psychic surgeon."
While not directly hazardous to the patient, the belief in the alleged benefits of psychic surgery may carry considerable risk for individuals with diagnosed medical conditions, as they may delay or forgo conventional medical help, sometimes with fatal consequences.
Accusations of fraud
According to stage magician
James RandiJames Randi is a stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
, psychic surgery is a sleight-of-hand
confidence trickA confidence trick or confidence game is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence...
. He has said that in personal observations of the procedure, and in movies showing the procedures, he can spot sleight-of-hand moves that are evident to experienced stage magicians, but might deceive a casual observer. Randi has replicated the appearance of psychic surgery himself through the use of sleight-of-hand. Professional magicians
Milbourne ChristopherMilbourne Christopher was one of America's foremost illusionists, performing in sixty-eight countries.He wrote more than twenty books, was national president of the Society of American Magicians , and was an honorary vice-president to the London Magic Circle...
and Robert Gurtler have also observed psychic surgeons at work, and claimed to have spotted the use of sleight-of-hand. On his A&E show
MindfreakCriss Angel Mindfreak is a show distributed by A&E Network. It debuted in 2005, and centers on unusual stunts and street magic acts by magician Criss Angel...
in the episode "Sucker," illusionist Criss Angel performed "Psychic Surgery," showing first-hand how it may be done (fake blood, plastic bags and chicken livers were used).
In Randi's view, the healer would slightly roll or pinch the skin over the area to be treated. When his flattened hand reaches under the roll of skin, it looks and feels as if the practitioner is actually entering into the patient's body. The healer would have prepared in advance small pellets or bags of animal entrails which would be palmed in his hand or hidden beneath the table within easy reach. This organic matter would simulate the "diseased" tissue that the healer would claim to be removing. If the healer wants to simulate bleeding, he might squeeze a bladder of animal blood or an impregnated sponge. If done properly, this procedure may deceive patients and observers. However, some "psychic surgery" procedures do not rely solely on the "sleight of hand" described, as at least one
Brazilian performerJoão Teixeira de Faria , known also as João de Deus , is a medium and according to himself, a psychic surgeon in Brazil. He is based in Abadiânia, a small town in the state of Goiás, southwest of Brasília.-Early life:...
also cuts his victims' skin to heighten the illusion.
In popular culture
- In the 1989 film Penn & Teller Get Killed
Penn & Teller Get Killed is a 1989 dark comedy film directed by Arthur Penn starring magicians Penn & Teller. The duo play themselves, and the plot involves them in a satirical account of what the audience would perhaps imagine the pair doing in their daily lives...
, comedic magicians Penn and Teller demonstrate how to perform the illusion of psychic surgery.
- A 1989 episode of Unsolved Mysteries
Unsolved Mysteries was an American television program, hosted by Robert Stack, from 1987 until his death in 2003, and later by Dennis Farina, starting in 2008...
featured a police officer whose mother claimed to have been cured by psychic surgery, only to pass away shortly thereafter and her autopsy revealed several tumors. The policeman described himself going undercover to feign illness and desiring psychic surgery, and having the feeling of the practicioner using sleight of hand to supposedly dig into his tissue, as well suspecting that the "cysts" and "tumors" being removed from his body were in actuality ready made chicken parts.
- In the TV show Criss Angel Mindfreak
Criss Angel Mindfreak is a show distributed by A&E Network. It debuted in 2005, and centers on unusual stunts and street magic acts by magician Criss Angel...
, Season 2 Episode "Sucker", Criss explains psychic surgery as a deception.
- In the BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
documentary Full Circle with Michael PalinFull Circle with Michael Palin is the title of a 1997 documentary television series produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Presented by Michael Palin of Monty Python fame, Full Circle was one of a series of programmes in which Palin made unusual and interesting trips.The series...
, Michael Palin visits two psychic surgeons while venturing through the PhilippinesThe Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
and even assists one of them on a procedure.
- In the 1999 movie Man on the Moon
Man on the Moon is a 1999 biopic of the American entertainer Andy Kaufman.The film, starring Jim Carrey and directed by Miloš Forman, begins at Kaufman's childhood, where he is seen performing imaginary television programs for stuffed animals...
, a movie based on the life of Andy KaufmanAndrew Geoffrey Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
, Kaufman receives psychic surgery and notices the "sleight of hand".
- In "Milagro", a sixth season episode of The X Files, a man is shown to be able to remove hearts of people with no incisions.
- In a 1999 episode of Angel
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
, "I Fall to Pieces", the antagonist of the episode terrorizes a young woman by detaching and reattaching his own limbs by means of psychic surgery.
- In a 2008 episode of a Turkish talk show, "Brian Brushwood
Brian Brushwood is an American magician who performs nationwide. He is especially well-known for his display of bizarre magic. He is known to perform fire-eating, escapes, breaking a cinder block over his head, sticking nails in his eyes and nose, sticking needles through his palm, reading minds,...
", bizarre magician and host of Revision3's Scam School, demonstrated the practice on someone with appendicitis, exposing the fraudulent practices.
External links
- James Randi debunks "psychic surgery"
- Turkish Television Brian Brushwood
Brian Brushwood is an American magician who performs nationwide. He is especially well-known for his display of bizarre magic. He is known to perform fire-eating, escapes, breaking a cinder block over his head, sticking nails in his eyes and nose, sticking needles through his palm, reading minds,...
debunks psychic surgery
- Unconventional therapies - Psychic Surgery — overview by the British Columbia Cancer Agency
- Psychic "surgery" — definition in the Skeptic's Dictionary
The Skeptic's Dictionary is a collection of cross-referenced skeptical essays by Robert Todd Carroll, published on his website skepdic.com and in a printed book. The skepdic.com site was launched in 1994 and the book was published in 2003 with nearly 400 entries...
- Fake Healing - a description of an event involving Mr. Orbito with editorial commentary.
- Abstract
- "Psychic Surgery" (1990) Ca. Cancer J. Clin. 40(3) 184-8 Abstract Full text Terte/Agpaoa origins; exposed by Milbourne Christopher and Robert Gurtler.
- "Sideshows of Science," David Perlman, San Francisco Chronicle, January 8, 2001; text. Reference to "psychic underground"
- 'Psychic surgeon' a heel, not a healer, police say Globe and Mail story on Orbito's 2005 arrest in Toronto
- Psychic surgeon charged Filipino Reporter story on Orbito's 2005 arrest in Toronto