A look at the claims, predictions and behavior of a media "psychic".
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A look at the claims, predictions and behavior of a media "psychic".
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Montel: Susan and the MRISylvia Browne gives some questionable medical advice. Published: Mar 20, 2008 
Susan, asking Sylvia Browne for medical advice. BackgroundOne aspect of Sylvia Browne's "psychic readings" which I find to be particularly distasteful and disturbing is her dispensing "medical advice." Despite having no medical training, Browne frequently gives "diagnoses" to the people who she "reads," recommending treatments and "prescribing" various treatments and even medications. This article looks at one such "diagnosis." The ReadingOn January 2002, a segment of the Montel Williams Show was shown in which a woman named Susan stood to ask for Sylvia Browne's advice on a medical issue. Here is a transcription of the segment, with my comments inserted:
Browne coming up with her answer. As Browne comes up with this answer, she looks up and to our left (see above picture). As has been discussed elsewhere on this site, this is a classic "body language" signal of fabricating a story.
Assuming for the moment that an actual surgical instrument had been left inside of Susan, is having an MRI - performed by an extremely powerful magnet - really the wisest advice? More on this later. Note that, according to Montel, Susan had an operation for ovarian cysts. How would an instrument from an ovarian operation be left in her stomach? Also, at this point in the reading, Browne licks her lips (see image below). This is yet another classic body language "tell" for deception.
Browne licking her lips - a classic "tell" for deception .
MRI Danger
Chair stuck in an MRI machine's magnetic field. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) devices contain an extremely powerful magnet. Powerful enough that even heavy metallic objects such as oxygen tanks, chairs (see above image) and floor cleaners all the way across the room can be caught in the device's magnetic field and pulled into it. How powerful? There has been at least one reported death from an oxygen tank flying across a room and into an MRI device with such force that it struck and killed a young patient who was in the device. Just how powerful an MRI's magnetic field is can be seen on a video shown on this web page. In the video, it takes at least three men, using boards, straps and muscle power, to pull a chair out from an MRI device's magnetic field. Patients are not allowed to bring anything with any metal - jewelry, glasses, watches, etc. - into the room with the MRI machine, to prevent damage to the device as well as to the patient and the technicians performing the test. Given all of this, how wise is it to advise someone - who you believe to have a surgical instrument inside them - to go get an MRI done? Not only that, but to advise them to not tell the doctor about the operation where an instrument was (supposedly) left inside? EmailsI was curious as to what an expert in the field of MRIs would say about such advice, so I sent the following email to Dr. Frank Shellock, of www.MRIsafety.com:
Not one to mince words, Dr. Shellock sent the following reply:
AnalysisYikes, indeed. If there was a metal surgical instrument (say, a scalpel or clamp) inside of Susan when she entered a room containing an MRI machine, the magnet inside the machine would try to pull that instrument right out of Susan's body. This would result in, at best, excruciating pain, and could potentially cause internal damage. Bottom line: Browne recommended a specific medical treatment, which, if there were indeed a metal object inside Susan, could result in serious injury or even death. Of course, there are some non-metallic items (such as sponges) used in the course of a surgery. And there are even certain metallic instruments made in such a way as to not be affected by magnetic fields. But for Browne to recommend that this woman just "go get an MRI" to confirm that she had a surgical instrument left inside of her shows either a total lack of understanding of what an MRI machine is, or a callous disregard for Susan's safety. And Montel Williams, true to form, reaffirmed this questionable "advice." It should also be noted that body language (Browne's eye movement and licking her lips) is by no means an exact science. These "tells" are not iron-clad guarantees that someone is lying. But, given the context here, I think they are worth considering. ConclusionThis is just one example of many where Browne shows a lack of basic medical knowledge when dispensing her "diagnoses." Practicing medicine without a license is illegal. By giving out diagnoses, by recommending treatments, supplements and even medicine, Browne is doing just that. And even her occasional admonition for someone to see a doctor do not excuse it. She is pretending to be a doctor, and has even referred to her customers as "patients" in at least one interview. Does the law agree with me in this? Time will tell. My thanks to CFL for initially telling me about this segment, and to EMM for providing the transcript. And if Susan ever reads this, I would certainly be interested in hearing what happened regarding your condition subsequent to your appearance on the Montel Williams Show. Related LinksClicking on any of these links will load a separate browser window for viewing the linked page. StopSylviaBrowne.com is not responsible for the content of any of these linked pages.
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