[meteorite-list] Try divining rods over a large iron

[JoshuaTreeMuseum]

I'm with you on the skepticism. I didn't believe it at first either.  It 
takes a bit more research than just scanning a single archive to uncover 
information.  Einstein is  making the statement in regard to a form of 
diagnostical "health dowsing", an area I think is pretty bogus. I was 
dissapointed to uncover the context of his statement. But his quote about 
dowsing still rings true.
--------------------------
These are from photocopies of the actual letters:

4 February 1946

Mr. Herman E. Peisach
32 Flax Hill Road
South Norwalk, Conn.

Dear Sir:
I am a novice in this field that we are discussing. However, I would
like to have you send me the reports. Even if I have no connection with
scientist in this field, a recommendation from me could perhaps be
effective, so that this subject could receive more attention.

Very truly yours,
A. Einstein

The above letter was received by Mr. Peisach, with whose kind permission it, 
and the one below, are published, in reply to a letter seeking Professor 
Einstein's views on his father's papers. Peisach senior, now deceased, was a 
physician in Germany who had learned to use the dowsing rod for diagnostic 
purposes, and had become interested in the influence of radiation from water 
and mineral veins on health. Mr. Peisach wrote us that by chance he had 
tuned his TV set to the "Look at Us" program on the Danville Convention, and 
generously referred us to this correspondence. After forwarding the reports 
to Princeton, he received the following reply. Translations are courtesy of 
Tell Ehardt and the German Department of Villanova University.

Dear Mr. Peisach:                                                        15 
February 1946

I read with great interest the reports from your father and I think
that they deserve attention. To publish them in the daily press would have
little effect. However, if you send these reports to a medical journal, you
will have to re-write some of the other aspects that are not really
pertinent to this matter.

I know very well that many scientists consider dowsing as they do
astrology,as a type of ancient superstition. According to my conviction
this is, however,unjustified. The dowsing rod is a simple instrument which
shows the reaction of the human nervous system to certain factors which are
unknown to us at this time.

That the same circumstances can bring forth
nervous difficulties in breathing appears entirely plausible. However, I do
not think there is any connection with the occurrence of cancer. This
latter connection, if true, would not be easy to prove with supporting
statistics.

If you submit the carefully revised reports to a medical journal you
may attach a copy of my letter, so that this matter will receive the
attention I feel it deserves.

Very truly yours,
A. Einstein

-------------------Please note: It was the son, watching the television show 
not his Dad. Obviously there was no TV in 1946.Read through this for an 
interesting discussion of the scientificaspects of 
dowsing:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ADowsing#Einstein_Quote-----------------------------I 
just want to make it perfectly clear that I am in no way associating myself 
with the nutjobbery and wackiness associated with dowsing. I am only making 
a few simple statements.   1.)If you hold two parallel L-shaped wire rods 
over iron meteorites, the rods will cross. They will also cross over any 
mass of iron, anthropogenic or natural. If you walkover an underground pipe, 
the rods will cross. That's all I'm saying. I don't know how or why they do, 
they just do. Anybody can do it. Try it and you'll see. It's not magic and 
has nothing to do with the paranormal, it's just a simple observable 
phenomenon. It's above mypay grade to explain it. 2.) Three generations of 
my family (maybe more) located underground clogged drainage tiles with 
dowsing rods. There's no way my Dad is lying about this. There are numerous 
witnessess to verify this information.And this is the last time I will 
mention this. The Amazing Randi's offer is a bogus scamset up to gain 
publicity and get donations to Randi's cause. Read through his 
applicationprocess and you will see what I mean. If the million dollar offer 
was really fair andunbiased, any dowser could easily claim 
it. --------------------------Phil Whitmer










> From: "JoshuaTreeMuseum" <joshuatreemuseum at embarqmail.com>

>

> I know very well that many scientists consider dowsing as a type of

> superstition. According to my conviction this is, however, unjustified. 
> The

> dowsing rod is a simple instrument which shows the reaction of the human

> nervous system to certain factors which are unknown to us at this time.

> - Albert Einstein

>

> -------------------- 

> Phil Whitmer


I'm skeptical that Einstein ever said this. I have just searched the
Einstein archive at

http://www.alberteinstein.info/

for the word "dowsing" and did not find a single hit.

Maybe he said it, but without a real citation with date and page number,
or a facsimile of the letter - I'm very dubious.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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