REALL News - Vol 09 No 01 - 2001

Magazine Overview

Title: The REALL News
Issue: Volume 9, Number 1
Date: January 2001
Publisher: Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL)
Description: The REALL News is the official newsletter of REALL, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting rational thinking and the scientific method. This issue features articles critically examining alternative medicine practices and discussing social phenomena related to superstition and belief.

Homeopathy and Veterinary Medicine: Has Bird Talk Magazine Been Quacked?

This lead article, authored by Laura Ainsworth and Daniel Barnett, expresses skepticism towards an article published in Bird Talk magazine that promoted homeopathy for treating avian illnesses. The authors, identifying as skeptics who rely on rational and scientific processes, found the claims in the Bird Talk article concerning, especially as they had not received a response to their letter to the editor. They challenge the credentials of the Bird Talk author, Alicia McWatters, Ph.D., CNC, noting her work as a holistic avian nutritional consultant and promoter of pet supplements. While McWatters briefly explained the theories of homeopathy, the authors argue she failed to acknowledge the lack of scientific consensus on its efficacy beyond a placebo effect and did not cite conclusive American studies.

The article highlights McWatters' reference to two studies published in The Lancet and the British Homoeopathic Journal (BHJ) that supposedly support homeopathy. However, Ainsworth and Barnett discovered that only one study was in The Lancet, and the BHJ article, detailing a double-blind study on homeopathic remedies for influenza, was not accessible. They express disappointment that such an error could pass through Bird Talk's editors. The Lancet study on hay fever was also criticized for numerous flaws, including subjective assessments and methodological issues.

Furthermore, the authors raise serious concerns about McWatters' claims regarding a "healing crisis" during recovery from illness, warning that this concept could endanger pet birds. They emphasize that sick birds require prompt examination by a competent avian veterinarian, not experimentation with unproven homeopathic remedies or waiting for a supposed healing crisis.

From the Chairman

David Bloomberg welcomes readers to the new millennium, encouraging attendance at REALL meetings. He announces the January meeting will be a round-table discussion on quantum mechanics led by Richard Walker, focusing on its stranger aspects and why it is relevant to countering paranormal claims that exploit the unknown. The February meeting will feature Professor Malcolm Levin discussing "Creationist Goals and Objectives."

Book Recommendations

David Bloomberg reviews "Mystics and Messiahs: Cults and New Religions in American History" by Philip Jenkins. He praises the book for its historical overview of cults and their evolution into accepted religions, as well as its discussion of anti-cult activities. He notes that Jenkins downplays cult violence but still provides a valuable historical perspective, rating the book four out of five stars.

Review of Therapeutic Touch

David Bloomberg reviews "Therapeutic Touch" by Béla Scheiber and Carla Selby. The article defines Therapeutic Touch (TT) as an alternative medicine practice involving the manipulation of a supposed "human energy field" to speed healing and reduce pain, despite the name implying physical contact. It notes that TT has gained some traction in the nursing field and has received continuing education credits in some states.

The review highlights the controversy surrounding TT, with skeptics and scientists opposing its proponents. It references Emily Rosa's grade school science project, published in JAMA, which showed practitioners could not detect the alleged energy field. The book by Scheiber and Selby is described as a comprehensive look at the phenomenon, including historical overviews, ethical issues, and attempts to test its claims. The authors critique the evidence presented by TT proponents, finding major flaws.

The review mentions the involvement of the local Philadelphia skeptics group and magician James Randi in challenging TT practitioners. It notes Randi's standing offer of a large monetary reward for demonstrating a paranormal event under test conditions, which has gone largely unclaimed. The article also points out that TT has received government funding, including grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense for studies on burn patients.

Bloomberg concludes that TT is a pseudoscience that has gained a significant foothold in the medical community, underscoring the importance of the book's critical examination.

African Witchcraft Problems Continue Today

Richard Petraitis's article argues that the lynching of suspected witches and sorcerers continues on the African Continent, refuting Carl Sagan's assertion that Christian churches were the last bastion of persecution. The article details how local witch-doctors exploit superstitious fears, and how jealousy or old age beliefs can lead to accusations and violence. It cites statistics indicating that approximately twenty-five thousand people died in the 1990s alone in nations south of the Sahara due to witch hunting. For comparison, it notes that Europe's witch trials from 1450 to 1750 resulted in approximately 40,000 to 50,000 deaths.

The article focuses on Tanzania, where nearly 20,000 people were killed by witch lynching in the past decade, with hundreds lynched in the late 1990s. Women with red eyes were often believed to be witches. Poverty and illiteracy are identified as major contributors to the belief in witchcraft. The article also mentions witch hunts in Kenya, resulting in mob murders, and ritual killings for body parts in Nigeria, including a crime wave in Lagos fed by a black market in human body parts.

It further discusses the use of ritual killings for personal power and battlefield immunity by combatants in Liberia's civil war, mentioning figures like General Joshua Milton Blahyi ("Butt Naked"). The article notes that many Africans seek medical needs from witch-doctors due to limited access to Western medicine, giving these practitioners significant power. The author predicts thousands more deaths due to these ancient beliefs, seeing the fight against irrationality as a long-term generational battle.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The REALL News consistently adopts a skeptical and evidence-based approach to claims of the paranormal and alternative medicine. The January 2001 issue exemplifies this stance by critically analyzing homeopathy in veterinary medicine and therapeutic touch, highlighting their lack of scientific rigor and potential for harm. The publication also addresses societal issues rooted in superstition, such as the ongoing violence related to witchcraft accusations in Africa, framing these as problems stemming from a lack of rational thinking and scientific understanding. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and professional medical care over unproven or pseudoscientific practices.