Psychic Surgery

From SkepticWiki

1 Definition
2 Origins
3 Discussion
4 Related Topics
5 References

[edit] Definition

Psychic Surgery is a form of Faith Healing in which the practitioner appears to extract blood, tissue, bone, cartilage, pus, tumors or foreign objects from a subject, without the means of surgical implements. The practitioner may appear to penetrate the subject's skin, but does not make an incision or leave an open wound or scar.

[edit] Origins

Whilst the Philippines has a long history of traditional medicine, including faith healing, the practice of psychic surgery is first attributed to Eleuterio Terte in the late 1940s[1]. Terte and many of his students were associated with a religious organization, the Union Espiritista Christiana de Filipinas (The Christian Spiritist Union of the Philippines).

Psychic surgery was popularised by Tony Agpoao, who claimed to be a student of Terte. Agpoao conducted highly publicised international tours in the 1970s and 1980s.

Psychic surgery is still widely practiced in the Philippines and in Brazil.

[edit] Discussion

Psychic surgery, like most forms of Faith Healing, relies for its apparent success on:

The placebo effect
Selection Bias
Blame the subject
Sleight of Hand

Dr Kevin Stone, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has stated:

"it is absolutely possible [patients can achieve a placebo effect from a fake surgery]. Because when patients get prepared for surgery ... they feel invested both financially, emotionally and physically in the outcome."

This principle applies to psychic surgery. Whilst the operation itself is often "free", patients typically travel to the Philippines or South America for treatment, pay for their accommodations and give gifts to the practitioner.

Selection bias applies because the highly publicized cases are those where treatment has been perceived to be successful. Failures, or slight improvements in condition, are not as highly reported.

Often, the subject is required to believe in the skill of the practitioner, or hold a particular religious faith, in order for the surgery to succeed. Failure can be blamed on a lack of belief or faith.

The physical manifestations of psychic surgery have been reproduced by stage magicians such as James Randi.