Treatment of smokers by the chirotesist Hermano. 5 year catamnesis
Gmür, M.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 109(49): 1967-1973
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 231823 Document Number: 151754
A study of a random sample of 532 cigarette smokers was made among the persons treated by the chirothesist Hermano in Seon (Switzerland), who had cured smokers of their nicotine addiction. They were examined immediately befroe the treatment ritual, then 4 months, 1 year and 5 years after the treatment. The patients of the healer were chosen from all the strata of the population. They were heavy smokers with an average of 31 cigarettes smoking rate per day for males and 24 cigarettes per day for females. Four months after the treatment, 40% of the treated persons, 12 months after the treatment 32.5% and 5 years after it 20% of the treated persons were completely freed of recidivism. Another 3.7% did smoke but only sporadically up to 5 years. Two thirds of the patients mentioned a suggestive effect which they consciously registered or which they remembered in the sense that their urge to smoke had diminished partly or disappeared completely thanks to the treatment. The analysis of the dynamics of recidivism showed that apart from its complete absence the cases of partial success in the sense of a moderation of the smoking, or as to a transitional stoppage were only a few. The methodical control of the follow-up study showed that the recidivists showed a lesser readiness to answer during the catamnestic examinations and it is therefore necessary for all the follow-up studies as well as for the comparative therapeutical research to take into consideration the degree of completeness of the catamnestic examination.