Baton Rouge UFO Bulletin - 1958 04

Magazine Overview

This issue of the Baton Rouge UFO Bulletin, dated April 1958, is sponsored by the Recreation and Park Commission. It features a cover headline questioning the secrecy surrounding potential encounters with space visitors, given the successful orbiting of satellites by the Army and Navy.

Space Exploration and Control

The bulletin opens with a discussion on the implications of the President's program for "control" of outer space. It raises questions about how space will be divided, the concept of a "three mile limit" in space, and the potential for disputes over control of celestial bodies like the Moon. The article notes that sending vehicles to the Moon is imminent, with early missions likely to carry instruments and TV scanners. A humorous, yet thought-provoking, scenario is presented where humans might discover the Moon has already been claimed or even "shot back" at us.

The current debate about space is framed as primarily between the US and Russia, but the author suggests there could be other contenders. The piece reflects on how the "progress" of the automobile and air ages has brought psychological issues, and wonders what the coming space age might do to the human psyche, inviting comments from Dr. Kirkpatrick.

Review of "M. D." Medical Journal

A significant portion of the bulletin is dedicated to reviewing articles from the medical journal "M. D.". The reviewer expresses enthusiasm for the journal's content, which extends beyond purely medical topics.

Medical Advancements and Discoveries

• Sound Surgery for Parkinsonism: An article details the first human brain surgeries for Parkinsonism, a syndrome characterized by rigid movements and mental fog. Dr. Russell Meyers is credited with discovering the brain region that, when sectioned using ultrasonic equipment, can alleviate rigidity and tremor. Three patients underwent the procedure with complete success, and two others experienced elimination of rigidity and tremor.
• Artist Pieter Bruegel: An article on the life and psychology of the artist Pieter Bruegel is mentioned.
• Flying Doctors: The impact of the air age on medicine is discussed.
• Artificial Hibernation: A fine article on artificial hibernation is highlighted, explaining it as a method of lowering body temperature to reduce vital requirements, allowing the body to withstand overwhelming pathological or traumatic aggression rather than fighting it destructively.

Other Medical and Scientific Topics

• Ice Skating: The journal offers an article on the history and detail of ice skating, including instructions for figure skating.
• Book Section: Reviews of books on "medical villains" are categorized, including works on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Faustus, Frankenstein, Dr. Fu-Manchu, and others.
• Musical Therapy: A section on music and its medical implications is noted.
• Movies and Travel: Sections on movies and travel abroad are included, with a particular commendation for an article on Tibet.
• IGY Progress Report: The International Geophysical Year (IGY) is mentioned, with reports on satellites proving the feasibility of placing man-made objects in orbit. It's noted that man's sensory organs are not designed for hypersonic speeds, with sensory perception following a time pattern adjusted to normal space-time-mass ratios.
• Moon Trip Predictions: Major David G. Simons predicts that trips to the Moon would soon be made, requiring about two days. His focus is on the process of getting there and staying, rather than immediate return.
• Psychiatry and New Drugs: A new drug, 2-dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), is presented as a potential precursor to acetylcholine, which stimulates the brain and can alleviate behavior disorders in children by improving mental concentration. In normal persons, it calms anxieties and makes them more affable, also increasing alcohol tolerance.
• IGY Satellites: The report mentions that three (now five) satellites have proven the feasibility of placing man-made objects in orbit.
• Geophysical Phenomena: Massive water movements between hemispheres, a river of electric energy girdling the geomagnetic equator, simultaneous auroras in both hemispheres, and deep ocean counter-currents are discussed. Findings from rocket flights indicate that X-rays from the sun affect the ionized air layer, impacting radio transmission. Cosmic ray penetration varies with latitude. The survival of mammals in weightlessness is suggested by the week-long life of a dog in a Soviet satellite.
• Man and Medicine: An article titled "Man and Medicine" under the sub-head "Form and Function" describes humans as not particularly remarkable in the animal world, lacking extremes in size, speed, strength, or beauty compared to ants or bee colonies.

Humanoid Types and Anti-Gravity

Human and Humanoid Types

An article discusses speculation about frozen sperm banks storing reproductive cells from great men, allowing prospective parents to choose offspring patterned after figures like Churchill or Picasso. This practice is noted as already being done with cattle.

Anti-Gravity Research

Reports of the Martin Aircraft Company's work on outwitting gravity are mentioned, with the belief that any successful anti-gravity process would be the greatest achievement in science, multiplying the world's capabilities by removing weight as a performance factor.

UFO Mystery and Public Engagement

The "Little Listening Post"

The "Little Listening Post" predicts a "break" in the UFO mystery is near, an attitude that has been circulating for some time. The author expresses fatigue with waiting. To aid in this "break," readers are encouraged to write "intelligent letters" to Congressmen and Senators. The hope is that if a significant percentage of a Senator's constituency expresses interest, they might pay attention. The author doubts this will happen unless the Senator is personally buzzed by a saucer.

Senator Russell of Georgia, who reportedly had a UFO experience in Europe in 1955, is mentioned as possibly being reluctant to reveal his experience for fear of being considered a "nut."

"Saucer Stickers" and Psychic Vapors

The "Little Listening Post" is criticized for providing scant information. A mention of "parakeets living in 22 wards in Michigan Mental Hospital are having healing effect, arousing patients interest in life. (Birds bring high vibration ed.)" is quoted, with the author questioning the "high vibration" concept. The bulletin also notes that 200 "saucer stickers" can be purchased for a dollar, with the author humorously questioning their utility.

Barber Foundation and Cataclysmic Predictions

The Barber Foundation is mentioned as predicting a global "tilt and flood." Mr. Barber claims he is no longer ridiculed for these predictions. The theory is that the Earth's crust is slipping on its core, and if it gets stuck, a cataclysm will occur. Barber seeks funding for advertising and lobbying to promote warning devices and boats, but the author expresses skepticism about the practicality and timing of such measures.

Psychiatry and Mental Illness

An item from Time magazine (March 24) is cited, stating that as psychiatrists learn more about mental illness, they become less willing to apply diagnostic labels. This attitude is deemed "holy."

Childhood Schizophrenia

Dr. Hilde L. Mosse objects to the term "childhood schizophrenia," finding it fashionable and overused. She states that the diagnosis is often wrong, with behavior problems or juvenile fantasies being mistaken for the condition, leading to unnecessary hospitalization and shock treatment. She has found no evidence that adult schizophrenia can be traced to such early emotional injuries.

Psychoanalysis

An article from Look magazine (April 15) is summarized, describing psychoanalysis as a technique for studying the unconscious mind, where repressed feelings are stored. The process involves the patient freely associating while lying on a couch, guided by an analyst. While moderately successful for neuroses, it is time-consuming and expensive. Its use for psychotics is considered controversial and less successful. The article notes that not all psychiatrists use psychoanalysis, and there are various methods and disciples.

Chemical Changes and Mental Illness

Some psychiatrists believe there may be physical as well as emotional causes for mental illness, with recent research sharpening the possibility of chemical changes in the body being responsible. This could lead psychiatry to adopt new concepts.

"Pega Palo" Vine and Medical Claims

True magazine's April issue is reported to have "exploded a petard" regarding a new drug extracted from the "Pega Palo" vine of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Limited experimentation suggests it has promise for various benefits, including being an anti-arthritic and awakening "sleeping gonads." The Pure Food and Drug Administration intervened due to lack of testing and unknown effects. However, the herb's potential for aiding "masculine virility" is noted, suggesting a potential rush by the public to seek it and by physicians to prescribe it. The article emphasizes the need for patient explanation and research to understand the value and effects of Pega Palo, acknowledging Haitian claims of remarkable results, including walking on fire.

Space Program Skepticism

Time magazine (March 31) is quoted with the statement "Take off that space suit," suggesting that talk of orbiting generals and rocket company executives around the Moon might be premature. Physicist President Lee DuBridge of Cal-Tech favors satellites for orbiting Earth and the Moon for study but questions the cost-effectiveness of more ambitious projects.

Military vs. Scientific Exploration

Dr. DuBridge argues that for most scientific explorations in space, instruments are sufficient and man's presence is not justified due to complications and expense. Instruments can coast unused for years, returning to Earth in a fiery cataclysm. Man, however, wants to return unburnt and unjarred, which is a difficult feat. He acknowledges that humans will insist on space journeys, but it will require significant money and time, with the value depending on our concept of achievements.

The Moon as a Military Base

Dr. DuBridge dismisses the idea of the Moon as a military base, citing extraordinary statements made about its value for launching missiles and observation. He points out that only one side of the Earth faces the Moon at a time, much of it is in darkness, and seeing a man-made object from 240,000 miles away is optimistic. He also argues against using the Moon as a missile base because it would be more efficient to target locations on Earth directly.

The Danger of Pseudo-Military Expeditions

The author expresses concern about being led into "wild programs of Buck Rogers and insane pseudo-military expeditions," urging for serious consideration of the decision.

Gravity and Future Problems

It is suggested that most problems of space travel will be solved within a hundred-mile belt of breathable or compressible air. The expense and wasteful propulsion of rockets are seen as prohibitive. Once gravity is overcome, many foreseeable problems will vanish.

Military Foresight and History

Dr. DuBridge is described as conservative but not stupid, with an appreciation for future problems that the military, accustomed to using money to solve issues, might not foresee. The military is characterized as approaching new wars by trying to replicate past ones, becoming annoyed when others don't play by the same rules. Historical examples like Hitler's use of Blitzkrieg and Goering's Stukas are mentioned as mistakes where faith was placed in new ideas accomplishing more than they did.

Propaganda and Prestige

The author believes Dr. DuBridge overlooked the tremendous propaganda prestige that would accompany unmanned or manned satellites. The US has already been beaten to the punch by Sputnik. The value of such propaganda is debated, but it's suggested it would be worth the cost if it leads other countries to look to the US for leadership rather than the Iron Curtain.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the burgeoning space age, the potential for extraterrestrial contact and the associated secrecy, and the advancements and controversies within the medical and psychological fields. The editorial stance appears to be one of cautious skepticism towards grand military ambitions in space, a critical eye on the potential for suppressed information regarding UFOs, and an informed interest in scientific and medical progress. There's a clear emphasis on critical thinking and questioning official narratives, particularly concerning space and potential alien encounters.