The article is taken from the book “Dowsing for Health. The Applications & Methods For Holistic Healing”, by Arthur Bailey, published by Quantum in 1990.

http://www.dowsing-research.net/blog_extracts/Bailey_Dowsing_for_Health_chap11.pdf

Dr Bailey, a lecturer in Electronics at Bradford University, was scientific advisor and President of the British Society of Dowsers. His dowsing interest tended towards health-related matters. In his book he devoted a chapter to “Distant Healing”, in which he describes the practice of radionics. The original concept of radionics was devised by a Dr Abrams, in the early part of the last century, and was subsequently developed by others. It is the art of medical diagnosis and treatment using a rather sophisticated looking device. It will at least have several numbered dials on it, a sample holder and perhaps an aerial. But otherwise it is totally impractical, in the sense that the box has no functioning parts. To use it, some type of sample is taken from the patient and usually placed on the box. The operator, turns the dials,  and dowses for a number that represents a particular symptom. The dowsing can take several forms. In the original device, the operator strokes a rubber pad and the dowsing reaction is a feeling that their finger is sticking to the pad, but in later practice, the operator might use a pendulum. The process can be done in reverse to find a treatment number, which is then “broadcast”, or directed toward the patient, to promote healing.

Bailey’s article is particularly clear illustration of the technique. He builds his own box, which he then uses successfully, but he can offer no explanation of why it should work. Therefore, he is aware that it is merely a prop, and that it is the mind of operator that is performing the diagnosis and treatment. In fact, as he points out, the box can be removed completely.

What is particularly interesting is that the diagnosis/treatment can be reduced to a number, irrespective of the complexity. This is rather like dowser obtaining a distinct number of pendulum oscillations over a given object. As we have seen in earlier posts, dowsing reactions are often particular (and consistent) to a given dowser and so is the case in radionics, with operators often disagreeing over what number, or rate, corresponds to what. 

The Bailey article ends with him explaining how anyone might begin the practice of healing, using only a pendulum.

Another interesting point which he touches on, is that the technique can also be used for harm as well as good. He mentions the use of the radionics box for pest control. I am not sure of the source of this story, but I have seen it quoted in another book by a British’s dowser book. An organic farmer was plagued with caterpillars, and unable to use chemicals, requested the help of a radionics practitioner, who it seems, successfully killed them all.

Finally, it may be of interest to read about the initial development of radionics by Dr Abrams.  The following article chronicles his work and ideas and was published in the Journal of the British Society of Dowsers. A wealthy eccentric individual, it seems that Abrams began with the observation that he could diagnose problems by gently tapping on the abdomen wall of the patient. (There was something rather unusual about this, because the sound changed depending on the orientation of the patient with respect to the Earth’s magnetic field).

It seems that Abrams was infused with the idea that all diseases emitted some form of radiation. He held the hypothesis that diseased cells radiated in some way, and that the nerves of the patient were affected by this radiation, which caused their muscles to contract, and this caused the sound changes, detected by his percussion technique. He then progressed to placing tumour samples in close proximity to healthy individual to see what effect that had.  Next he connected the samples to the subjects by long wires. Then convinced he was dealing with electromagnetic radiation, he introduced an electric circuit, comprising a series of rheostats (variable resistances). So now he could obtain a kind of “reading” for the illness, by altering the values of the rheostats. Finally, he discovered that he could use a sample, eg a spot of blood, in place of the patient.

Reading the article, it seems clear that there is no “physical” mechanism in Abrams work, except perhaps for his percussion technique, though this too, like his healing, was likely a manifestation of his mental intent.

http://www.dowsing-research.net/blog_extracts/BSD_No38_1942_p156