Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 08 no 1

Magazine Overview

This issue of the Tampa Bay Skeptics Report, Volume 8, Number 1, from Summer 1995, features a cover story titled "'Therapeutic Touch' (TT) touches Tampa Bay" by Miriam Blake and Gary Posner. The report delves into the controversial practice of Therapeutic Touch, its spread among healthcare professionals, and its reception in the Tampa Bay area. It also includes a personal account of a UFO encounter on a television show, a legal analysis of scientific evidence admissibility, and various news snippets on paranormal claims.

"Therapeutic Touch" (TT) Touches Tampa Bay

The lead article by Miriam Blake and Gary Posner investigates the practice of Therapeutic Touch (TT), prompted by a skeptical article in Time magazine. The authors surveyed the use of TT in the Tampa Bay area, contacting hospitals and healthcare professionals. According to a brochure from Nurse Healers Professional Associates, Inc. Cooperative, TT was developed in the early 1970s by Dolores Krieger and Dora Kunz and is taught in over 80 universities worldwide, practiced by an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 professionals. The brochure explains TT as based on the idea of human energy fields, with practitioners using their hands as sensors to detect imbalances and facilitate healing. The article notes that Shirley Spear Begley, R.N., B.F.A., C.C.H.T., is the founding director of Integrated Health Care Systems, which uses this promotional literature. Begley also advertised a two-part TT course approved by the Florida Board of Registered Nurses.

Interviews with healthcare professionals reveal varied perspectives. Delores Kukla, from the St. Petersburg Junior College nursing school laboratory, confirmed that TT was not officially taught there but noted that local nurses' associations sometimes demonstrate it. She advised against using TT on cancer patients, stating that "Cancer does not need to be over-stimulated." Several hospitals in Pinellas County, including All Children's, Bayfront, and Morton Plant Hospital, reported that TT was neither taught nor encouraged, though some nurses might practice it informally. University General and Women's Hospital in Seminole indicated that TT is practiced there.

Lois Schultz, who works in nurse education at University General and Women's Hospital, regarded TT as a "viable alternative." Charlotte Gildea, from Hospice of the Suncoast, mentioned a double-blind study on wound healing conducted by lawyer Daniel Wirth and uses TT as a comfort measure, believing it creates an environment for healing. She stated, "It is used with pure intent. TT creates an environment for the body to heal itself and it diminishes pain." Unlike Kukla, Gildea believed TT could benefit cancer patients.

Christine Vollstedt, R.N., who works in home health care and physical therapy at St. Anthony's Hospital, uses healing touch in addition to other methods, noting there is "no approved protocol" and it can be used on "most people," including the dying. She cited a BBC-produced study by Daniel Wirth where TT-treated wounds reportedly healed faster. However, Vollstedt seemed unimpressed with the study's findings. Seven hospitals in Hillsborough County expressed no interest or experience with TT. Brandon Hospital uses it occasionally for pre-natal patients as a relaxation technique. At Memorial Hospital, an R.N. named Kevin was familiar with TT and used it to end massages, viewing it as a potential placebo but generally skeptical of its curative properties. St. Joseph's Women's Hospital, despite the main hospital's skepticism, had staff who believed in TT through personal experience.

A correction notes that USF professor Bill Heim was incorrectly identified as Bill "Himes" in a previous issue.

My "Alien" Encounter on the Kathy Fountain Show

Brent Yaciw recounts his experience as part of the studio audience on the now-cancelled WTVT-TV 13 show, "Kathy Fountain Show." The episode featured individuals discussing their "UFO abduction" experiences, which Yaciw described as filled with "paranoid delusion" and "secret government conspiracies." He found it ironic that a woman claimed her psychiatrist told her she was indeed being abducted by aliens. Yaciw stood up and suggested she was suffering from paranoid delusional psychosis, which led to her accusing him of hurting her feelings. He noted that other "abductees" claimed impregnation by aliens, missing twins on alien ships, and implants, with one presenting an X-ray as proof. Yaciw countered that X-rays can be forged and that claims of implants being studied by Harvard professors were excuses for lack of evidence. He acknowledged being outspoken and aggressive on the show, explaining that TV talk shows thrive on confrontation and that his goal was to plant seeds of doubt among believers, rather than to convert them.

Chairman's Corner: Science in the Courtroom

Terry A. Smiljanich, J.D., discusses the legal standards for admitting scientific evidence in courtrooms, focusing on DNA typing and its challenges in the O.J. Simpson trial. He contrasts the "Frye rule" (1923), which required "general acceptance" in the scientific community, with the U.S. Supreme Court's 1993 "Daubert" standard. Daubert mandates a more flexible approach, assessing reliability through scientific validity, methodology, testability, peer review, and general acceptance. Smiljanich notes that Florida courts have continued to adhere to the Frye rule, despite criticism that it may exclude novel but reliable science. He expresses concern that the Daubert rule's flexibility could lead to the admission of "junk science" and pseudoscience in courtrooms, particularly given the potential for judges to share common cultural attitudes that might favor paranormal beliefs.

Snippets

• This section presents brief news items:
• The Kathy Fountain Show was cancelled due to sagging ratings.
• Tampa International Airport removed "Gate 13" to avoid alarming passengers.
• A column by Don Addis questions the certification of psychics.
• Saudi Arabia's ruler is reportedly devoted to the occult, leading to arrests of soothsayers and astrologers.
• Tyrone Bell of Lakeland was arrested for occult-related activities, including desecrating a grave and possessing voodoo paraphernalia.
• Miami's Metro Justice Building is used for Santeria and voodoo rituals, leaving behind animal remains.
• A $30 electromagnetic field detector is marketed to paranormalists seeking ghosts.
• Disney produced a TV special, "Alien Encounters From New Tomorrowland," which featured claims of alien harassment and a government conspiracy.
• A "Letters" page from Scientific American featured odd claims, including a "Harmonic Cube" and a theory of "negative evolution."

Other Skeptical Sources on the Paranormal

The report lists Prometheus Books, Skeptical Inquirer, and Skeptic magazine as resources for skeptical information.

TBS Statement of Income and Expenditures

A financial statement for Tampa Bay Skeptics for the fiscal year 1994 (June 1, 1994 - May 31, 1995) shows a beginning balance of $796.84, total income of $1242.05, and total expenditures of $1230.16, resulting in a net balance of $808.73.

TBS Community and Media Affairs

Gary Posner was a featured speaker at a Tampa Bay Mensa event and has written columns for their publication. He was quoted in articles about television's coverage of the paranormal and a "miraculous" healing claim. Posner also received an inquiry from Oprah Winfrey about appearing on a show about miracles.

Sessions "Psychic" Moves to Tampa Bay

John Monti, one of the "psychics" consulted by Hillary Sessions in her search for her missing daughter Tiffany, has moved to Dunedin, Florida. Monti claims to possess the O.J. murder weapon.

Letters • Readers' Forum

Brent Yaciw responds to an earlier article by Tom Leckrone, defending his skeptical stance and criticizing faith-based organizations and the promotion of paranormal claims. He states, "I am skeptical of them all, no matter how much respectability time may have given them." Eric Gryka of the Oasis of Living Waters Foundation requests expertise from TBS regarding paranormal and occult activity.

Chairman's Corner (Continued)

Smiljanich continues his discussion on the Daubert rule, questioning who determines "general acceptance" and expressing concern that the field of parapsychology is fraught with "sloppy procedures, unrepeatable results, and unverifiable conclusions." He argues that courts need to be appropriately skeptical when judging scientific claims of dubious quality.

Announcements

Tampa Bay Skeptics announced its quarterly meeting on Saturday, July 8, featuring an open forum, video coverage of paranormal media, and executive council elections. The TBS "$1,000 Challenge" is reiterated. Information is provided for The James Randi Fund and The CSICOP Legal Defense Foundation, both assisting in defending against lawsuits from paranormal proponents. The Electro-Skeptic Bulletin Board is also mentioned.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards paranormal claims, the critical examination of pseudoscientific practices like Therapeutic Touch and UFO abduction narratives, and the importance of rigorous scientific and legal standards. The editorial stance of Tampa Bay Skeptics is clearly one of critical inquiry, advocating for evidence-based reasoning and a cautious approach to claims lacking scientific validation, particularly within legal and public discourse. The organization actively promotes skepticism through its publications, events, and challenges.