José Arigó - Psychic Surgeon Extraordinaire

[Mr. Jon Donnis]

José (Zé) Arigó, born José Pedro de Freitas (18 October 1921 - 1 November 1971) was a Brazilian psychic surgeon. He practiced psychic surgery with his hands or with simple kitchen utensils while in a mediunic trance, supposedly channeling the spirit of Dr. Adolf Fritz.

Biography
Zé Arigó was born José Pedro de Freitas on a farm located 6 kilometers from Congonhas, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. His family was very poor and he could only study up to the third grade of school. At the age of 14 he began working at a mine where he worked for 6 years. According to his autobiography, around 1950 he began to suffer from strong headaches, insomnia, trances, and hallucinations. One day he felt that the voice that had been pursuing him took over his body, and he had a vision of a bald man, dressed in a white apron and supervising a team of doctors and nurses in an enormous operating room. This entity identified itself as "Dr. Fritz."

After claiming to have channeled Dr. Fritz, Arigó began to perform operations using scalpels and needles. His reputation soared and spread throughout Brazil after it was alleged that he had removed a cancerous tumor from the lung of a well-known Brazilian senator. Over the next twenty years, thousands of people who mistrusted traditional medicine, or had not found help in it, came to Congonhas in search of a cure.

In 1956 Arigó was convicted of illegally practicing medicine. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, but was pardoned by President Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira. In 1962 he was arrested and held for seven months for practicing medicine without a license. However, he was allowed to continue treating people while held in jail. Despite the problems with the authorities, his fame continued to increase, and in 1963 he was received by President João Goulart. He also allegedly cured the daughter of Brazilian President, João Figueiredo.

Arigó died in 1971, in an automobile accident.

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[bobdezon]

This is the first "psychic surgeon" I ever read about as a kid. I suspect its where Mannion gets his M.O. from.

[antmania]

Just bought the book on ebay 'surgeon of the rusty knife'
Think I have read it before too.
Anyway as this book is decades old, what are your thoughts on the man? Was he ever exposed as a fake?

[bobdezon]

Well, he was jailed for practising medicine without a licence, and died in a car crash later on. Like all psychic surgeons before and after him, he was more than likely to be a fraud. Steven Turoff also has a fake german doctor, this man kickstarted a lot of lunatics off.

[julia]

I think James Randi's "Flim Flam!" has a chapter about Arigo.

[antmania]

I am 3/4 way through the book and if it is to believed, then he was an extraordinary man (or Dr Fitz who allegedly possessed him)
He never charged for his services and many scientists and Doctors etc came to see him 'perform' at first sceptically but soon wowed by his technique.
He underwent tests and still nobody could call him a fake apart from those with an axe to grind like the Catholic Church and medical establishment.
A very good read about a remarkable man IMO

[bobdezon]

Mar 5, 2009 9:16:35 GMT antmania said:

I am 3/4 way through the book and if it is to believed, then he was an extraordinary man (or Dr Fitz who allegedly possessed him)

Yes, if it is to be believed, which unfortunately it is not.

He never charged for his services

He operated upon people illegally, why would he charge for this? He also wrote prescriptions that could only be redeemed at his brothers pharmacy. See the connection here?

and many scientists and Doctors etc came to see him 'perform' at first sceptically but soon wowed by his technique.

Not really, you see he was investigated by Dr Andrija Puharich, who seemed quite impressed by Arigos "ability". However this statement is a logical fallacy because it is an Argumentum ad Populum. Dr Andrija Puharich was an extremely "dodgy doctor" who never even practised medicine (except as an intern). He was also appointed to “grand kahuna,” in hawaii (mystical chief type thing) and he was utterly amazed by Uri Geller and claimed he saw teleportations, dematerializations and even heard disembodied voices. He wrote serveral "woo" books also, like "The Sacred Mushroom Key to the Door of Eternity" and "Uri, A Journal of the Mystery of Uri Geller". This "expert" does not sound "so expert" now does he?

He underwent tests and still nobody could call him a fake apart from those with an axe to grind like the Catholic Church and medical establishment. A very good read about a remarkable man IMO

You need to think about this critically. Words in print are no guarantee of them being true. It was claimed that Arigo operated without pain, and that was what caused the amazment (also the mans lack of education) yet in Dr Andrija Puharich own films depicting these events, the "patients" are in absolute agony while being operated upon by Arigo, for simple boil lances etc.

Be sceptical, but dont let that ruin a good story

[antmania]

;D Don't worry Bob, I always have a healthy sceptisism about anything. I also don't take things at face value but in this case, I am not going to shout Fraud!
Of course he practised illegally and he was well aware of this but claimed that he suffered terrible headaches and hallucinations whenever he stopped his practise.
I haven't seen the film yet of course but by a Doctors own testimony, he had a lymphoma revoved from his elbow area and all he felt was a slight sensation like a pin prick despite a 2 inch incision being made by Arigo and it was all over in a matter of seconds.
People sent him money as much as 50,000 dollars and gold watches to thank him but these gifts were returned.
So, Bob, while I await evidence to say he was a bona fide fake, i will reserve my judgement and finish a great book. ;D

[bobdezon]

Maybe he did suffer from hallucinations and headaches when he ceased to operate, however that is probably more indicative of a serious compulsion, rather than ghostly visitations. The person who was operated upon, this would be the same dodgy doctor that wrote "them thar" books then? I have no way of verifying Arigo recieved, or returned such sums of money.