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Home , Benjamin Radford, James Underdown, Joe Nickell

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Dowsing for Truth: Report on Tests of a California Wire-Dowser

The Independent Investigations Frank suddenly decided that his dows- Thomson, Keith Jeffreys, Vaughn Rees, Group (IIG) at the - ing rods were detecting die paper from Milt Timmons, and Robin.) West conducted an informal experi- the rolled up newspapers. So we asked —-James Underdown ment May 27 to determine if a man him to dowse a patch of parkway grass James Underdown is the Executive (we'll call him Frank) has the ability to across the street while we looked for a Director of the Center for Inquiry-West detect copper wire with two I.-shaped carpet in the building. in Los Angeles. rods. Frank claimed to be a Frank happened to have some skeptic, which piqued our interest, and 12-gauge wire, which he said he also claimed that not only could he could detect. New York Jury Finds find hidden wire or plastic with great This thinner wire appealed to our Alternative Medicine accuracy, but he could also teach us sense of fairness. After Frank cleared an Doctor Negligent in how to do likewise. area of grass, a few of us (one barefooted) After consulting with CSICOP tried to determine where a hidden wire Patient's Death Fellow in Eugene, was underneath the carpet. We were sat- Following the death of a patient with Oregon, we designed an experiment isfied that one could not feel such a wire. Hodgkin's disease, a jury ordered Dr. wherein we would conceal 4-foot We placed grid markings along the x Nicholas J. Gonzalez to pay the patient's lengths of 16-gauge wire in long and y axes of two rectangular carpets for husband $282,000. Gonzalez told (approximately 5 foot) tubes of rolled the purpose of recording Frank's guesses, Hollace Schafer, a college music profes- up newspaper. Frank would pass over and also videotaped the entire process. sor, that he could diagnose the state of twenty-five of these tubes and deter- All the observers (and Frank) stayed her cancer and recommend appropriate mine whether or not each contained a indoors while the placer hid the wire treatment by simply testing her hair. piece of wire. We would give him five and recorded its location on the grid. A jury found Gonzalez negligent for separate passes over the set of tubes. The placer then left before we returned not arranging proper diagnostic mea- The wires would be changed between with Frank. sures, contributing to her death. Instead tries. In order to keep the experiment Frank agreed that he would be able of conventional treatments, Schafer was double blind, the person placing the to tell us the direction in which the wire given vitamins, purges, animal tissue wires would not be present during laid, and be able to detect where the extracts, enzymes, and four to ten coffee Frank's attempts, and the observers wire was within a few inches of its loca- enemas per day. Gonzalez was found 49 would not be present during the plac- tion. Frank made six guesses of specific percent liable lor Schafer's deadi. ing of the wires. wire locations and never came within Schafer was first diagnosed widi cancer None of diis happened as planned. three or four feet of die wire's actual in 1977 and had twice been treated with When Frank arrived, he asked if he would location, even after we lifted the larger chemotherapy. Both times the cancer be able to walk on top of the rolled-up carpet once and gave him a second guess went into remission, but when die cancer newspapers. Since die newspapers were on the smaller one. came back a third time she sought treat- diin and die wire was relatively diick, we We learned three things: 1) Frank ment from Gonzalez. T h e doctor's uncon- decided diat Frank would be able to feel does not seem to be able to detect hid- ventional cancer therapy was the subject die wire dirough his shoe, and asked him den copper wire with dowsing rods with of an ABC news special and a segment on if he could just straddle the tubes. Frank any accuracy, 2) Be flexible! Many peo- the CBS newsmagazine 48 Hours. then informed us diat he would not be ple who make claims have This is not the first time that able to perform in diis environment (i.e., an array of excuses why your experimen- Gonzalez has been found negligent for in die meeting room at die Center for tal test will prevent them from getting treating patients with alternative medi- Inquiry-West) because mere was too accurate results. Always confirm with cine instead of conventional therapy. In much interference from pipes and elec- them before beginning die actual test 1997, a jury ordered Gonzalez to pay tricity surrounding the room. that all conditions are satisfactory. This the family of Julianne Charell more than So we moved the whole kit and gives them as little wiggle room as possi- $2 million because of his unorthodox caboodle out to the parking lot—first in ble; and 3) Anyone (with a little help) treatment of her uterine cancer. one spot, dien in another—to a place can test a claim of the paranormal if you — which Frank had dowsed and "cleared" know what to look for. before we placed the tubes. (Hyman had (Thanks to IIG members Brian Benjamin Radford is managing editor of warned us to be ready for excuses!) Kornfeld, Sherri Andrews, Jim the magazine.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER September/October 2000 5 NEWS AND COMMENT

American Chemical recent course in polarized light that she didn't know Candace was hav- microscopy, the highlight of the week ing problems. Jeane Newmaker, Society Honors Walter was the final lecture given by McCrone Candace's adoptive mother, watched McCrone, Cites Work on himself on his work on the Shroud of from a nearby room. Turin and the Vineland Map. Although Watkins, along with four other peo- now in his eighties, McCrone's mind is ple including Newmaker, was charged still sharp as a knife. With no difficulty with criminally negligent child abuse he recited complex technical details of resulting in death. In seeking help for his analysis from memory. McCrone, a her daughter's depression and attention CSICOP Fellow, is obviously hurt by deficit disorder, Newmaker turned to the vicious criticism the shroud propo- Watkins after finding little success with nents have heaped on him, but he traditional treatments. Watkins charged remains congenial and modest. A typical $7,000 for an intensive two-week ther- comment was "I didn't find any blood apy session that included "rebirthing." on the shroud, but the STURP (Shroud Rebirthing therapy was founded by of Turin Research Project) members all therapist Leonard Orr in the 1970s, disagreed with me, so I guess I must be who is said to have re-experienced his wrong." To the contrary, McCrone's evi- own birth while taking a bath. This led dence is clear and convincing. him to develop breathing exercises that would supposedly release repressed trau- —Bill Vanderlinde mas. In the form of rebirthing practiced William Vanderlinde, Ph.D., is an engi- by Watkins, the blanket was said to rep- neering failure analyst in Columbia, resent the womb, and the pillows were Walter C. McCrone received well- Maryland, and a member of the National pushed to simulate labor contractions. deserved recognition when he was Capital Area Skeptics. He recently co- Struggling out of the blanket was sup- awarded the American Chemical Society authored a paper on microscopic methods posed to help the child heal from past Award in Analytical Chemistry at the with McCrone Institute Director Dave trauma by being "reborn." ACS annual meeting in San Francisco, Stoney. Terry Levy, co-founder of an Ever- March 26, 2000. The award was given green clinic, admitted that there is "a for Dr. McCrone's groundbreaking lack of proper training, credentialing, work in chemical microscopy, specifi- New Age 'Rebirthing' and regulation in this field." A spokes- cally citing his work on the Shroud of Treatment Kills Girl woman for the American Psychological Turin. McCrone showed that the shroud Association went much further: "There is a piece of medieval artwork produced A ten-year-old girl undergoing an is absolutely no evidence that this by painting red ocher and vermilion pig- unproven New Age therapy suffocated works, that it helps people. This is far ment onto linen with collagen tempera. on April 18 in Evergreen, Colorado. outside what mainstream psycho- His prediction of a fourteenth-century Connell Watkins, an unlicensed and therapists are doing." origin for the shroud was proven correct unregistered therapist, along with three In the wake of the child's death, the by carbon dating. The award nomina- others, wrapped Candace Newmaker tion was written by David Stony, completely in a flannel blanket, twisted Director of the McCrone Research the ends together, and placed large pil- Institute in , who wrote that lows around her head. The session lasted McCrone's work on the shroud "is an over half an hour, and when the blanket excellent example of the use and appli- was unwrapped, Candace was lying in cation of his methodology, the necessity vomit and no longer breathing. for the ultramicroanalytical approach, A videotape of the episode revealed and of McCrone's character." The that the girl cried out at least a dozen award is sponsored by Fisher Scientific times that she couldn't breathe, had to Co. Further details can be found at vomit, and was going to die. According www.mcri.org. to investigators, therapists pushed The McCrone Institute continues to against her with pillows and said, "You be the premier source of training for want to die? Okay, then die." Julie chemical microscopy in the world. At a Ponder, who led the session, claimed

6 September/October 2000 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Colorado Mental Health Grievance ucts called Tectonic. The shoe manufac- "Pescador, Pescador!" ("Fisherman, Board barred Watkins from practicing turer cites testing by Tectonic and a Fisherman!"), the exiles chanted to further rebirthing therapy. This is not report prepared by Magnetherapy to Dalrymple, an appellation that seemed the first time that a child has suffocated vouch for its magnetic insoles. to take on "a saintly quality" as one while in therapeutic restraint: Two other In 1998 Texas Attorney General reporter observed. (No doubt many children vomited and suffocated to Dan Morales filed an Assurance of recalled ' invitation to the fisher- death since 1993. Voluntary Compliance (AVC) against men Peter and Andrew to follow him —Benjamin Radford Magnetherapy, Inc. with the Dallas and become "fishers of men" [Matthew County State District Court. 4:19].) But Dalrymple is not a fisher- According to its press release, the Texas man. He is a housecleaner who had re- Magnet Therapy Office of the Attorney General luctantly agreed to drive his cousin's required the company to "stop making boat that Thanksgiving Day. Two days Update: Support for claims that the magnets can cure, treat later he summoned television cameras Your Feet, but Little or mitigate any disease or that they can to cover his visit to the home of the Support from Science affect [sic] any change in the human boy's Miami relatives, where he became body" without approval from the FDA. a fixture. His cousin now labels him "a On June 12, magnet therapy took The order also required the company phony, a liar," and "a desperate man another step into the mainstream to "withdraw false labeling and adver- looking for publicity." footwear industry. Capitalizing on the tising from the marketplace within 120 In time the swordfish that the two success of its MagneForce golf shoes, days" and pay a $30,000 penalty to the cousins had seen leaping near the Florsheim Group Inc. expanded the Office of the Attorney General to reim- boy—which Elian thought were dol- brand with a new series of magnetic- burse the state for legal and investiga- phins—took on a mythic character. insole dress and walking shoes. tive fees. Dolphins arc anecdotally associated While the companies that make Various ads claimed that Tectonic with rescues ot downed fliers, and magnetic therapy products widely magnet therapy products would provide soon stories were told of the aquatic advertise claims of pain relief and other relief from certain painful conditions mammals having "propped him up healh benefits, the scientific evidence to and could restore range of motion to when he was about to drown" (actually back these statements up is scanty. On muscles and joints. The company had he was buoyed by an inner tube) or of its Web site (www.florsheim.com), provided retailers with display packages saving him "from the jaws of sharks." Florsheim lists a variety of health bene- that included health claims, written tes- The National Review lamented the fits attributed to magnets, including timonials, and posters of sports stars. "mockery" accorded "this little fable" improved blood flow and internal pH and observed that "Liberals have their —Kevin Christopher balance, and the correction of "possible own superstitions." . . . magnetic deficiency." Isolated stud- Kevin Christopher is Public Relations Selectively magnifying the positive ies, such as the Baylor College of Director for CSICOP. and ignoring the negative, one mirac¬ Medicine clinical trial, indicate that ulist touted the claim that Elian had magnets may relieve pain, but many escaped being sunburned at sea, while others show that magnets do not. Miraculous Elian ignoring the significant fact that, at the In particular, a study published in the same time, the child had tragically lost January 1997 issue of die Journal of the A cause celebre in both the United his mother. In fact, Elian was treated at American Podiatric Medical Association States and Cuba, young Elian Gonzalez the Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital showed no difference in pain relief is also being portrayed as a for "sunburn and dehydration." between magnetic and non-magnetic child. As Elian began to be portrayed as "a insoles. On March 8, 2000, the journal One of three survivors of a risky at- miracle boy," some exiles drew parallels of the American Medical Association tempt to reach the Florida coast in a between the six-year-old and the bibli- (JAMA) published a clinical trial diat also leaky boat—a mission that claimed the cal infant Moses. They noted that each failed to find any therapeutic benefit in lives of his mother, stepfather, and sev- had been set adrift for protection— magnetic belts for back pain. eral others—the little boy is being Moses from the pharaoh Ramses II Florsheim states that the MagneForce hailed by many Cuban exiles as a divine (Exodus 1:11—2:10), who had com- designers "were cautious at first, but messenger. One of his rescuers, Donato manded the killing of Israelite male worked extensively with Magnetherapy, Dalrymple, who with a cousin pulled infants, and Elian from Fidel Castro. Inc."—a Florida-based company that Elian from the sea. speaks of the boy's The Miami Herald reported that Elian's produces a line of magnet therapy prod- survival as "this miracle." great-uncle Lazaro Gonzalez had sent a

SKE CAL INQUIRER September/October 2000 7 NEWS AND COMMENT note to a nun claiming that the Cuban Paranormal Radio Is Dossey, who claimed scientific evi- dictator wanted the child for human dence for healing prayer in his 1993 sacrifice, a claim also made in an Alive and Well After book Healing Words, and Steve Gibbs, anonymous letter disseminated by Art Bell's Departure crank inventor of the "Hyper- Spanish-language radio. Dimensional Resonator" the latest in The assertion was that Castro— It seems like only yesterday that Art time travel technology. otherwise a "godless Communist"— Bell had announced he was leaving talk —Kevin Christopher practices the Cuban folk religion, radio. At the time of his announce- Santeria. Like Haitian Voodoo, this is a ment, it was hard to believe that Bell mixture of Catholicism and African was actually leaving—both because he polytheistic magic. One Santeria priest chose April Fool's Eve and Day to 'Miracle Staircase' claimed that whoever possessed little release his decision, and because he had Carpenter Finally Elian would gain protection against ill- already "left the business" briefly in Identified ness and even death. A Santeria priest- October 1998. ess who lives across the street from the It's ironic that Bell cited the very Gonzalezes claimed that "Elian is the thing on which his radio show has often son of Eleggua," the Santeria guardian thrived as one of the reasons that drove of doorways and passages. An exiled him out of the business. After years of Cuban writer also saw the boy as a feeding the nation's appetite for sensa- divine Eleggua and insisted that keep- tional rumors about UFO cover-ups ing him in Miami would cause the fall and the like. Bell himself fell victim to of Castro. the groundless accusation that he is a As the boy's Miami relatives and child molester: This claim particularly others sought to keep him from his traumatized Bell because his own son, father and thereby from the despised Art Bell IV, was sexually assaulted by a Castro, other miraculous signs were teacher in 1997. claimed. There were at least two Bell's departure is the end of an era, reported sightings of the Virgin Mary, but not the end of "Coast to Coast first in a stain on a Little Havana bank AM." In May, Seattle-based radio talk window (apparently caused by mineral show host Mike Siegel, who had filled in residue from sprinkler water), although for Bell as host before, was selected as not everyone could discern the Virgins his replacement. features in the "cloudlike" stain. Siegel, a 25-year veteran of radio, Another supposed image was reported began as host on "Coast to Coast AM" in a "mysterious marking" on a mirror on April 27. According to the Seattle in the Gonzalez home. Times, Siegel previously worked at Outside the house, CNN showed KRKO-AM and KVI-AM, where he There is an important new development scenes of Elian—looking as if he was fired in 1996 for airing an unsub- in the case of the "miracle" stairway of would much rather be doing some- stantiated rumor about then-mayor in Santa Fe, New thing else—being held up to the fence Norm Rice. The rumor—which spread Mexico. Although it has been shown so he could touch the rosaries of the like wildfire through conservative talk that die beautiful staircase's construc- adoring faithful. One night thousands radio—was that Rice had been shot by tion is less than miraculous (see my in the center of Little Havana assem- his wife when she discovered him in a "Investigative Files" column, SKEPTICAL bled to form a human cross and to mix sex act with his male deputy mayor. INQUIRER, November/December 1998), chants with prayers. "Needless to say," Art Bell promised that Siegel would the identity of die nineteenth-century the Washington Post commented, "the maintain the format and standards of artisan had been lost. Some imaginative case has taken on the feeling of a reli- Coast To Coast AM. So far, the new nuns had come to believe tiiat it was St. gious crusade." host has been faithful to the program's Joseph himself, the father of Jesus and tradition as the premiere venue of para- patron saint of carpenters. — normal and claims. Now in an article in the January 2000 Joe Nickell, CSICOP's Senior Research Recent guests include UFOlogist and magazine—"Loretto Stair- Fellow, is author of Looking for a physicist Stanton Friedman (known as case Mystery Unravels" by Tamar Miracle. the "Father of Roswell"), Dr. Larry Stieber—the identity of the enigmatic

8 September/October 2000 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

craftsman has been revealed. Credit for Edward claims to have a direct line to Edward: "Passed?" the discovery goes to an "intrepid and the spirit world, but seems to always be Dano: "Yes!" (Dano pauses and a look of amazement crosses her face.) "No! highly respected amateur historian" the one asking the questions. An objec- I had a dog named 'Beebee'!" named Mary Jean Cook. She learned of a tive look at die dialogue reveals die tech- Edward: "Passed?" "hermit rancher," Francois-Jean niques of . According to Ray Dano: "You get dogs?" "Frenchy" Rochas, who lived in "godfor- Hyman, "'Cold reading' is a procedure O f course he gets dogs. That might saken" Dog Canyon, nine miles from by which a 'reader' is able to persuade a just be because Dano didn't call either of Alamogordo. Learning that he had left client whom he has never before met that her grandparents "Bubbi"; there's proba- behind a collection of "sophisticated car- he knows all about the client's personality bly no one in her family named Robert, pentry tools," Cook searched for his death and problems. At one e x t r e m e this can b e Roberta or Bobbi; and presumably nei- notice, which she found in die January 6, accomplished by delivering a stock spiel, ther Dano, nor anyone in her family, 1896, issue of The Santa Fe New Mexican. or 'psychological reading,' diat consists of cared much for Bobo the Clown. It described Rochas's murdered body highly general statements that can fit a n y You can almost forgive being found at his isolated rock cabin and individual." At its best, a cold reading for what he does because his subjects described him as "favorably known in gives die subject being read an assessment are—literally—asking for it. They want Santa Fe as an expert worker in wood." uniquely tailored to him or her. (For and expect to connect with their He had built, die brief obituary noted, more on mis topic, see Peter Greasley's deceased family members. In fact, die "the handsome staircase in die Loretto article "Management of Responses in a "Crossing Over with John Edward" Web chapel and at St. Vincent sanitarium." Spiritualist Medium Consultation," in page at www.scifl.com/johnedward Cook suspects the legend of St. Joseph this issue.) clearly lays out "John's Rules" for visitors began wirJi die sisters at die Loretto Edward throws out vague bits of bait who are thinking about being a guest: Academy, "probably in response to ques- that could apply to almost anyone and tions from dieir students." However, she hooks his subjects into supplying him By entering the stage area, you're observes that "it wasn't until the late with all of the specific answers. A read- agreeing to be "read" by John. John 1930s—when the story appeared in ing of one member of the audience is cannot control who "comes through." So there are no "passive audience 1 representative of the reading dialogue Ripley's . . . Believe It or Not. —diat die members." For instance, John has story became an icon of popular culture." throughout the program (parenthetical read the cameraman, soundman, and Althiough some rued the debunking remarks are mine): someone in the next room during of the pious legend, Archbishop rehearsals. If you feel you'll be too Edward: "I have a male that's older embarrassed, too frazzled, or just not Michael Sheehan promised: "It will than you." (Is there any human being interested, we ask that you give up always be referred to as a miraculous on the planet that doesn't have your seat to someone who's anxious staircase. It was an extraordinary piece some—any—relationship to an older for a reading. male?) to have been done in its time." Subject (eagerly): "Yes. Yes." Edward: "Who's passed?" (Isn't that Edward gives words of advice at die —Joe Nickell the point?) close of the show: "You always want to Subject: "My father-in-law." retain a healthy sense of , so Edward: "OK, thank you. 'Cause I this way you can learn and understand was going to say it's got to be a father 'I Speak to Dead figure." (Yeah, right.) what's happening." This appeal is infuri- ating coming from die host of show that People': Medium John The reading dialogues in "Crossing thrives on mystery and relies on credu- Edward Hosts SciFi Over" are sometimes hilarious. The cen- lous and obliging guests and audience. Cable Show terpiece interview of the first episode is Ray Hyman's article, quoted and between Edward and actress Linda paraphrased in this review, can be found John Edward, medium and Dano, star of the soap opera Another in die Spring/Summer 1977 issue of t h e author of the book One Last Time: A Psy- World Here is a small excerpt: Zetetic (SKEPTICAL INQUIRER). chic Medium Speaks to Those We Have Edward (continuing on the subject of Joe Nickell discusses John Edward's Loved and Lost, is host of "Crossing Over Dano's grandmother): "I'm getting readings in depth in his September 1998 with John Edward," a new show on the 'Bo-bo.'" Skeptical Briefs Investigative Files col- SciFi cable channel, airing weekdays at 4 Dano (perplexed): "Bo-bo?" umn, "Investigating Spirit Com- Edward: "Like two 'b's. 'b-b'" (Dano P.M. and 11 P.M. "Crossing Over" is a munications," available online at is not making a connection with any www.csicop.org/sb/9809/i-files.html. monstrous hybrid of talk show and psy- human she knows.) "Wouldn't be a chic fair, spliced with die look and sound dog, would it?" of a 900-line infomercial. Dano: "Beebee?" —Kevin ChristopherLJ

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER September/October 2000 9