CIA-RDP96-00792R000700950001-6

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gated series.
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Parapsychology Abstracts International
Fifty-six items suitable for analysis were divided into
three groups. The first group contained sixteen items of
demographic features of the persons concerned in the
cases; the second contained thirty-six items of the main
features of the cases; and four variables concerned dif-
ferent aspects of the investigation of the cases.
For forty-four variables, no significant differences be-
tween the data of the two groups occurred. Significant dif-
ferences between the series occurred for three items of the
demographic variable, six items of the main features of
the cases, and three items concerning the investigations of
the cases of the two series. The authors believe that the
second investigation constitutes a replication, although not
an entirely independent one, of the earlier investigation.
The similarities in the two groups of cases do not seem to
derive from conformity on the part of the second inves-
tigator or on the part of informants for the two series.
The authors think the resemblances provide additional evi-
dence for the authenticity of the cases that were included
in these two series. - DA
01905. Johnson, Martin U. Obituary: J. Gaither Pratt
1910-1979. European Journal of Parapsychology, 1979
(Nov), 3(1), 66-68. 2 refs
The author pays tribute to Gaither Pratt, hailing him
as one of the most distinguished parapsychologists and per-
haps the most experienced of all experimental parapsy-
chologists. Equal emphasis is given to biographical details
and a review of his work. - R.A.W.
01906. Beloff, John. The categories of psi: The case for
retention. European Journal of Parapsychology,
1979(Nov), 3(1), 69-77. 13 refs
The aim of this paper is to delineate the minimum
set of concepts necessary for parapsychology; for example,
a distinction between the informational and physical as-
pects of psi should be maintained. The author argues for
the retention, as unique concepts, of the terms precogni-
tion (because of its theoretical and philosophical implica-
tions) and telepathy (on the grounds that it can be opera-
tionalized as the effect of the presence of an agent). Ob-
jections to the concept of clairvoyance are discussed. The
author proposes that the category
"theta-psi" (psi on the
part of a discarnate entity) should not be abandoned until
the answer to the question of postmortem survival has
been found. - D.H.W./JP
01907. Millar, Brian. The distribution of psi. European
Journal of Parapsychology, 1979 (Nov), 3(1), 78-110. 5
figs; 56 refs; 2 tables
The topic of this paper is the distribution of psi in
the population. Although the basic strategy of experimen-
tal work depends upon this, surprisingly little attempt has
been made to examine the question experimentally. In-
stead, since the Rhine revolution, it has been assumed
that most people have some small degree of psi ability.
The assumption is questioned here.
Drawing heavily upon the observational theories, and
Walker in particular, it is suggested that the principal psi
differences between people are determined at feedback.
The degree to which the feedback stimulated the psi
source is proposed to be crucial. The main experimental
consequence is that suitable manipulation of the state of
the subject at feedback may lead to improved psi scoring.
If psi exists, the traditional distinction between sub-
ject and experimenter can no longer be drawn. The results
of special subjects are almost independent of the experi-
menter, while in group experiments he or she is crucial:
only a handful of special experimenters can clicit psi
from unselected groups with any regularity. Explanation
of this in terms of experimenter psi is decidedly no
worse than the usual idea of sensori-mediated effects. Ex-
perimenter psi has also the logical advantage that it al
can be tested (by removing the possibility of a sen
component). In a few cases this procedure has left
perimenter differentials intact.
The problem with experimenter psi is not any lo,
or empirical deficiency, but rather what to do with it
this end a scheme of psi distribution is proposed w
uses the observational theories to suggest ways out
parapsychology's dilemma. The reason most experime!
do not obtain convincing evidence of psi with unsele
groups is that there is none. Instead, this is an artifac
the psi abilities of the few special experimenters.
scheme accounts for many of the observed feature:
parapsychological experiments and some novel deduct
can be made. Only psychic experimenters should be
to get group experiments to work: this is strongly
ported by the micro-PK literature.
On this basis, the majority of experimenters who
not "elicit" psi in the conventional way will never be
to and should turn their attention to attempts to find
cial subjects or use special experimenters as subjects. :
cial experimenters, on the other hand, should attempt
manipulate their own psi contribution by working with
feedback they get within the context of the observatic
theories. - DA
01908. Bierman, D.J. A methodological hint for
search in RSPK cases [letter]. European Journal
Parapsychology, 1979 (Nov), 3(1), 111.
In light of the observational theories, Bierman s
gests a slight modification in the registration procedu
used to objectively verify poltergeist phenomena sugges
by the fact that when attempts are made to film or
dcotape poltergeist phenomena, the happenings cet
With the potential observer effect in mind, he propo
that a series of short films be used from which a numb
has been exposed to light before filming by a coexpe
menter who is also to be in charge of handing those fil
to the cameraman in a random order (i.e., unknown to
cameraman). He predicts that phenomena will contin
while filming with an already exposed film but will st
while filming with an unused film even though none
the people present on the site where the phenomena oc
is aware of the condition of the film actually in use
DT/R.A.W.
II. PARAPSYCHOLOGY JOURNALS
(NON-ENGLISHI)
DUTCH LANGUAGE
(Editor: George Zorab)
TIJDSCHRIFT VOOR PARAPSYCHOLOGIE
01909. Dietz, P.A. Some cases in the Netherlands of
Ing on living during many months or even years wi
wollt drinking. Tijdschrift voor Parapsychologie, 1930/
3, 193-202.
Dietz notes that there are several types of starvi
(1) The nonparanormal cases of starving are generally
hibitions to obtain money. An example that demonstra
"normal" starving over many days (14-72) was Mr. Pap
who lay down in a glass coffin so that people co
watch him all the time. In order to watch him peo
had to pay money. (2) The starving of fakirs in Ind
Such men generally fall into a trance or coma so tl
several bodily functions, such as blood circulation a
breathing, are very much diminished. The reanimating
such fakirs is sometimes rather difficult. After the expe
23
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Vol. 4, No. 2 December 1986
ment ends, the body of the fakir is very much wasted.
Such fakirs are known to have been buried for several
days. (3) A kind of starving that may be considered of a
paranormal nature. This type of starving, i.c., not partaking
of any food, and also often not drinking anything, may go
on for many years and does not seem to harm the person's
health.
This paranormal starving was observed for the first
time in 1220, when Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, learned of a
nun who lived in a nunnery at Leicester, whose only food
was one holy wafer a day. He ordered that the starving
nun should be watched for at least a month to scc
whether the nun really did not eat anything but the holy
wafer. (It should be noted that in Holland there were a
few cases of this kind of starving, or asitie). The first one
was a legendary case during the Middle Ages. The subjects
of the other two cases were Protestant women who were
never observed to partake of food. One, Saint Luduwina
of Schiedam, was born on the 15th of March, 1380. At the
age of 15 she became ill, and during the remaining years
of her life she suffered all kinds of complaints and never
experienced even one day of good health without pains.
She was paralyzed on one side, suffered from worms, a
high fever, large ulcers. Her body was wasted to a shadow.
According to those who wrote her life-history, she
did not eat anything for 26 years. The only exception was
that she swallowed a holy wafer every day. Luduwina con-
stantly had visions of Paradise and Hell. It is said that
many miracles were attributed to her, even after her
death. She was canonized in 1615.
The second case is that of the servant girl, Eva
Vliegen, who lived in a small town called Meurs that now
belongs to West Germany. Eva's life was described by the
Dutch historian, Willem Baudart, who lived in the 17th
century. He tells us that Eva was born in 1575. Her pa-
rents were very poor and belonged to a very low class.
As a young girl she had to tend the pigs of some farmers.
She got very little food to eat, and for this reason she felt
very hungry all the time. She suffered so much from being
constantly hungry that she prayed every day asking God to
deliver her from this strong and continuous hungry feeling.
Her prayers were successful, for in 1594 her appetite and
feeling of being hungry had diminished so much that she
partook of some food only every fortnight. From 1594 until
her death many years later she did not eat or drink any-
thing.
In 1599 the Countess of Meurs invited Eva to come
and stay in her castle. Here the Countess and her friends
implored Eva to eat something, even if it was only a
cherry. After a long time Eva yielded and ate a cherry.
She at once became very ill, so ill that the Countess and
her court ladies expected her to die at any moment. Eva
had to be carried home, and it took a long time before
she was again in good health (without having partaken of
any food or drink).
A year later Eva became very ill. The medical doc-
tors who were consulted advised that now and then she
should swallow a spoonful of buttermilk. But she never
could keep it in her stomach. Whatever she tried to cat
or drink was always immediately vomited. Eva's face was
very pale; she was of a medium height and slight build.
Eva said that twice a week she observed a strong white
light, quite different from daylight. When this light ap-
peared she felt a strong swectish taste on her tongue,
giving her a feeling of well-being. The pastor of the
town of Meurs refused to believe that Eva had not caten
or drunk anything for many years. He was convinced that
she was a fraud, In order to test his conviction the pastor
(Conradus Veldhuysen) took Eva to his house where for
13 days she was never out of the sight of someone even
for a moment.
What the pastor and his friends observed when
watching Eva convinced them that they had witnessed a
miracle. That Eva had not caten or drunk anything during
26 years is a fact that can be confirmed by at least 1,000
persons. This is written by Eva's historian, Willem
Baudart. Hc also tells us that when he had finished his
book about Eva, she was still alive and enjoying reason-
ably good health.
Eva was visited by princes, Dukes, and counts who
regarded her as a saint. It is curious to note that her
glory did not last until her death. When she had lived 32
ycars without partaking of any food, and the people had
no doubts that she was a fraud, she became very ill.
The pastor, Theodorus Scriba, visited her and took care
that she would be well nursed. To the great surprise of
those who nursed her, Eva suddenly asked to be given
some buttermilk to drink. A woman who lived in the
same house as Eva said that she knew all along (two
ycars) that Eva partook of some food or drank something
now and then. When Eva's house was searched quite a lot
of foodstuffs were found. According to Eva this food was
there to be distributed to the poor of the town of Meurs.
It seemed that Eva had collected quite a lot of money
during the last years of her life. The people were angry
about Eva, who in their opinion was nothing but a fraud.
Dietz offers some suggestions as to how an authentic
case of asitie can occur. He is of the opinion that asitie of
a paranormal nature (which only seems to happen to
women) should be regarded as a kind of materialization or
as the phenomenon known as matter passing through mat-
ter.
The last case concerns Engeltje van der Vlies at Pij-
nakker, a domestic servant born in 1787. Her parents were
poor people, and so the girl Engeltje had to work for her
living at an carly age. She became a servant in the house
of a clergyman named Hoek. She remained with this fami-
ly until her death. In 1811 she suffered greatly from hys-
terical fits. Somewhat later she suffered from inflammation
of the intestines. This was the reason that she started to
cat less every day. But she did not stop eating. She started
to refuse food in May, 1818. She then only drank some
water. The only food she had was from sucking a piece of
meat. In March 1822 she suffered such serious hysterical
fits that those that lived with her in the same house were
very much afraid that she would die. From this time on it
became impossible for her to drink even a few drops of
water.
There were dozens of people who came to visit her
and to see how she could live without food or drink.
These people wanted to have her tested in order to be
sure that she was not a fraud. In the beginning Engeltje
refused to be tested but when she heard that people had
started to regard her as a fraud, she permitted it. On
August 15, 1826, a committee was formed and appointed
four women, who had had no connection with Engeltje,
to watch her day and night for four weeks. After the four
weeks had passed, the committee published a written
report, stating that during the above period Engeltje had
not touched any food, nor had she drunk anything. En-
geltje was still alive in 1853, and had not eaten any food
for 35 years, nor had she drunk anything for 31 years.
- G.Z.
24
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Parapsy
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