BAE 1.4

Magazine Overview

Title: Bulletin of Anomalous Experience
Issue: Volume 1, Number 4
Date: May 1990
Publisher: Bulletin of Anomalous Experience
Country: Canada
Language: English

This issue of the "Bulletin of Anomalous Experience" (formerly "Ratchet Patrol"), a networking newsletter for interested scientists and professionals concerning the UFO "Abduction" Phenomenon, features several key sections.

Forum: Editor's Corner

The "Editor's Corner" addresses the ongoing discussion about the publication's name. Jennie Zeidman and John Miller express preferences for a new name, with Miller suggesting "Abduction Research and Treatment Forum" or "Abduction Research Newsforum." Maralyn Teare supports the current name, "Bulletin of Anomalous Experience," for its broader scope. The editor announces they will continue with "Bulletin of Anomalous Experience" for the next few issues until a final decision is made.

The "Question of the Month" invites readers to share their current state of interest and involvement with the abduction issue, how it has changed over the past year, and their predictions for its future.

The editor reflects on the limited response to a previous article by Ken Ring, which suggested UFO encounters and abduction experiences might be "border phenomenon" produced by an interaction between our realm and an "imaginal" realm. The editor humorously notes the cost savings of reading the newsletter compared to attending conferences.

Forum: Membership Guidelines

The "Membership Guidelines" section outlines the newsletter's policy, stating it is intended for mental health professionals, UFOlogists, scientists, and legislators/policymakers who possess skills or knowledge to contribute to a scientific analysis of the UFO or abductee issue. Mere interest alone is not sufficient for membership.

Subscription rates are provided: $1 for a sample issue and $20 for a one-year subscription.

The section also encourages readers to expand the readership by suggesting individuals who fit the membership criteria.

Forum: Networking

This section invites members to submit short biographical sketches detailing their background, training, current work, and personal views to enhance networking and community among disciplines. This issue features two such sketches:

John G. Miller, M.D.: A Board Certified Emergency Physician in Southern California. He holds degrees in Biology and Physical Science, and completed medical training at Baylor College of Medicine and L.A. County U.S.C. Medical Center. He became interested in the abduction phenomenon after reading Budd Hopkins' "INTRUDERS" and became involved in investigating abduction cases. He outlines three roles he can play: assisting abductees with medical questions, supporting other health professionals working with abductees, and aiding non-medical ufologists with medical inquiries. He does not charge fees and does not establish a formal doctor-patient relationship, respecting the right of others to charge for services. Dr. Miller states he has no firm opinions on the causes of the abduction phenomenon, viewing it as a "syndrome" of unknown etiology.

Jennie Zeidman: Holds a B.A. in English and Technical Writing from Ohio State University, with post-graduate credits in sociology, psychology, political science, and cross-cultural communication. She has experience as a writer, editor, investigator, and analyst, including interaction with Indochinese cultures and research assistance at OSU's Research Foundation. She serves on the boards of MUFON and the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS). Her involvement in ufology began in her senior year at OSU when she took a course taught by J. Allen Hynek and saw a UFO. She became Hynek's technical assistant and a research associate of the Center for UFO Studies. She was also associated with the Battelle Memorial Institute group that produced the Blue Book Special Report #14. Zeidman states that her extensive experience has led her to believe in the reality and significance of UFO phenomena, and she advocates for high-quality efforts to define and research the behavioral aspects of these experiences, calling for cooperation among credible researchers.

Forum: What Are The Questions?

This section presents a series of questions posed by John Miller, M.D., regarding the abduction phenomenon, framed as a potential "disease model" or "syndrome."

1. Is a "disease model" a helpful concept? Miller believes it is, as it provides a framework and tools for physicians, aids in exposing the phenomenon to the medical community, and makes it more acceptable to the public. He acknowledges disadvantages, such as potentially discarding other frameworks and the risk of stigmatizing individuals, but is willing to accept this risk. He also notes the concern about "over-medicalization" and the potential for quackery.
2. Having chosen the disease model, have we gotten the right name? Miller finds Rima Laibow's "Experienced Anomalous Trauma" (EAT) excellent but wishes it included "Syndrome" (EATS). He suggests alternative eponyms like "Hopkins Syndrome" or "Hopkins-Hill Syndrome."
3. What are the defining characteristics of this syndrome or disease? The question explores how to distinguish a UFO abduction case from other experiences and a contactee from an abductee. Criteria proposed by Jo Stone include: a definite period of missing time, conscious recollections of alien beings, and dreams of UFOs/aliens that cannot be separated from reality.
4. What are the epidemiologic features of the Experienced Anomalous Trauma Syndrome? This question seeks help from epidemiology and public health experts to determine incidence, prevalence, age, sex, and geographic distribution, and to improve case-finding methods.
5. Can we devise overall standards for reporting cases among ourselves?
6. Are there useful ways of categorizing our cases to facilitate study and treatment?
7. What is the natural history of this syndrome?
8. Can risk factors for development of this syndrome be identified?
9. What host factors are involved in this syndrome? Psychological studies of abductees are mentioned as one form of host factor evaluation.
10. What differential diagnosis can be devised for this syndrome?
11. How do we get help from "Ufologists" and the field of "Ufology" without allowing them to harm us or our patients? Miller expresses concern about fear-mongering and unproven rumors from some ufologists that can harm abductees.
12. What role or function can a non-psychiatrically trained medical practitioner play in a case? Miller outlines three roles: direct assistance to abductees, consulting with other health professionals, and assisting non-medical ufologists with medical questions.
13. Is there data pertinent to EAT syndrome hidden within the literature or experience of our colleagues in other medical specialties? This question probes for evidence in fields like radiology (anomalous foreign bodies on X-rays, CAT scans, MRI scans) and gynecology (the "missing baby syndrome").
14. How can we best define the extent and types of medical problems that occur within the abductee population?
15. Do abductees have any especially frequent medical problems?
16. What medical problems do the abductees themselves attribute to their abduction experiences?

Forum: Conference News

This section announces the MUFON 1990 International UFO Symposium to be held in Pensacola, Florida, in July. It highlights that several speakers will address the abduction issue, and the editor will be among them. Topics listed include:

• "UFOs, Extraterrestrials and the New Science" by Brian T. O'Leary, Ph.D.
• "Who Speaks for the Witness? Medical and Ethical Issues in Abduction Research" by David A. Gotlib, M.D.
• "UFO Abductions in the Gulf Breeze, Florida Area" by Budd Hopkins
• "On Mass Panic and Other Favorite Myths" by Robert L. Hall, Ph.D.
• "Experienced Anomalous Trauma: New Directions" by Rima E. Laibow, M.D.
• "ET Contact: The Religious Dimension" by Dr. Barry H. Downing
• "The Differences Between Perceptions of Ufology in America and Europe" by John L. Spencer
• "New Revelations from Roswell" by Donald R. Schmitt
• "The Fyffe Alabama Experience"
• "The Gulf Breeze Sightings" by Ed and Frances Walters
• "The Rainbow Declaration and Human Destiny in the Cosmos" by John Brandenburg, Ph.D.

Contact information for submitting contributions and subscription requests to David Gotlib, M.D., Editor, at his Toronto, Ontario address is provided, along with a deadline of June 15 for the next issue.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the scientific and medical investigation of UFO abduction experiences. There is a strong emphasis on establishing a rigorous, professional approach, as evidenced by the membership guidelines and the series of detailed questions posed by Dr. John Miller. The newsletter aims to bridge the gap between ufology and scientific disciplines, particularly medicine and psychology. The editorial stance appears to be one of encouraging serious research, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and seeking to understand anomalous experiences through systematic inquiry, while also acknowledging the challenges posed by the subject matter and the broader scientific establishment. The inclusion of conference news indicates an effort to keep readers informed about current developments and prominent figures in the field.