Hypothesis about the organic and psychological action of ectoplasm 

An  analysis of the book called “ A ‘Vital Fluid’ called Ectoplasm” , written by Matthieu Tubino, published by Lachâtre
 

The definition of Ectoplasm is an issue that extends throughout the book. The author believes this is an attribute of the body, with properties similar to gaseous substances and of unknown composition.

He does not present some results of researchers, like Schrenk-Notzing, who did tests using chemical methods of Ectoplasm expelled by mediums of materialization, as can be read below: 

“According to the results of these two studies, it is about a albuminoidal substance attached to a fat body and with cells analogous to those in the human body. Particularly notable is the large number of leukocytes; the phlegm releases, for example, never contains both. This matter strongly resembles the lymphatic fluid and weights of that of the human body, however, not identical.” (SCHRENK-NOTZING apud ANDRADE, 1984, p. 169.) 

Based on reports from sensations of the patients, and observations of the behavior of visible Ectoplasm, the author argues that there are some general properties of this substance, which would be: 

a) The similarity to gases, such as the possibility of being perceived in the body of the people as something bulky, which would lead to swelling (until is directly expelled or associated with the body's secretions and gases, like runny nose, flatulence, the eructations (burping) and tears for example); 

b) The  Ectoplasm , In its invisible presentation, would be capable of causing sensations and physiological/psychological perceptions, such as nausea, heat, pain, discomfort similar to those caused by ulcers, feeling short of breath and excretion of liquids (and no one around can see any substance);

c) The Ectoplasm would be associated with the occurrence of physical phenomena (spontaneous movements of objects, materialization of bodies or parts of bodies, when in visible form) described in the Spiritist, psychic and parapsychology literature; 

d) It  would be subject to action of the force of gravity, after being expelled by the body in its two forms(visible and invisible). 

According to Tubino, the Ectoplasm accumulates in the body and it can develop diseases 

The latter property, in invisible form, it appears the sensations and perceptions of patients and magnetic healers ("passistas" in the original text, but the author avoids the term in his book). 

Tubino reaffirms the idea that this substance would be produced by the body, proposed by the literature, and adds the possibility to be associated with diet and intake of starch, based on reports of people assisted in his work. 

One of the author’s propositions, with many implications, is that Ectoplasm could accumulate in the body and that this accumulation could even promote the development of diseases. 

The list of diseases is very wide, and involves multiple organ systems. The author presents the story of improvement in patients, who underwent the procedure for removal of accumulated Ectoplasm, but this research is based on observation, it does not present the result of comparison between the experimental group and the controlled group, igniting the discussion of the so-called placebo effect and the formation of psychological symptoms. 

There would also be a psychological dimension of the accumulation of Ectoplasm in the body, and this is one of the most controversial topics in the book. In addressing the issue, Professor Tubino highlights two groups of psychological symptoms: labiality of mood (citing cases of depressive patients) and paranoid tendencies (which he describes as victimization, tantrums etc.). ⁽¹⁾

The author also mentions psychoanalysis and reviews some cases of Freud’s patients, which in his view, presented symptoms of  uneasiness similar to those of people diagnosed as suffering from accumulation of Ectoplasm. 

Finding the word streichen in the Freudian text, He argues that Freud applied magnetic healing passes to relieve the pain of Emmy Von R. Professor Tubino seems unaware that this patient belongs to the prehistory of psychoanalysis, period in which Freud accepted the theory of trauma, treated by hypnosis and catharsis theory and was influenced by the suggestion of Bernheim. Freud used other resources with the same patient, as a basis for making suggestive symptoms disappear, as written below: 

"My therapy is to eliminate these scenes ⁽²⁾, so that she can not see them in front of her anymore. To reinforce my suggestion, I passed my hand gently on her eyes several times." (FREUD, Complete Works, Vol. XXII, case 2.)

Can mental disorders be explained and treated only by the action of Ectoplasm? 

The case in question is important because the patient does not improve substantially. The hypnotic suggestive therapy enables the removal of some symptoms, but subsequently Emmy developed other equivalent symptoms, showing relapses throughout her life. Freud believes that her symptoms had a psychological cause. 

The Psychogenesis of symptoms is not developed satisfactorily in the book. As a reader, I am in doubt about the scope of Tubino’s claims.

Can the mental disorders be explained and treated only by the action of Ectoplasm on the body? Are the typical symptoms of mental disorders just the accumulation of Ectoplasm in the body? The hysterical explained by Freud would not be neurotic, but people who accumulate Ectoplasm? 

Matthieu Tubino argues that "the solution to the problem of accumulation of Ectoplasm is the lack of 'internal balance' of each individual" (p. 45) and believes that the system of treatment focused on the Ectoplasm only help patients feel better while they seek their own inner change. 

It is understood that the change is a change of attitudes of the person on the basis of Christian and Spiritist ethics.  

The book continues and the author returns to raise the questions about the formation of Ectoplasm. After a brief argument, contends that one can not conclude that this is a known gas, "Something different and, to some extent, linked to the nervous system," because it can be felt when someone touches it. However, the author does not explain how he distinguished this feeling from a psychological suggestion. 

Another bold proposal is the origin of Ectoplasm in food, air and water intake. Tubino supports the existence of a parallel metabolism, and submits as evidence the presence of this combination of odor during the release of Ectoplasm, like the smell "similar to an ashtray with cigarette erased" in the environment in which smokers are met. If there were smokers, with abstention or reduction of use of cigarettes and the release of Ectoplasm would not happen, only the presence in another environment, would this smell not be present too? 

The author describes the following techniques and care used by his team for the release of Ectoplasm. Preparation of patients, care for the environment, techniques for handling the Ectoplasm, action in situations that occurs malaise, among other subjects, are treated  objectively.  

The theory of several “bodies” helps the understanding of the origin of mental illness 

Finally, the author says that some people learn to take control over your Ectoplasm. He cites reports of some patients that argue that the improvement of psychosomatic illnesses after treatment but do not disclose in depth the duration of their well-being, only saying that it depends on the aforementioned change in attitudes, as the abandonment of pride, of vanity, of greed, of envy, resentment and bitterness, among other actions condemned by Christian thought. 

The reader will find the explanation for some cases of children who were subjected to treatment and a discussion on the relationship between the two ethereality and Ectoplasm. The author defends the idea that the theory of several "bodies" helps to understand the origin of mental illness and the operation of homeopathic remedies. 

Two issues still make up the work in review: The visible Ectoplasm, used by spirits, and the detailing of the techniques to deal with Ectoplasm, for diagnostic purposes. The author is honest in saying he does not know the process by which the visible Ectoplasm becomes invisible and vice versa. He only makes a few analogies with known substances that changes their states.   

When I finished reading, and with the reflections of the review, my doubts were more clear by the contribution of the book. Tubino proposes ideas that allow some headway in the practice of magnetic healing passes made in the spirit centers, if properly verified. I admire his courage and intellectual honesty, because in the text you can notice that he also has doubts, but he has not failed to systematize and explain his remarks and development of this practice, which enables us to criticize, but most importantly, develop an agenda for research designed to assess the ideas proposed. 

Notes: 

(1) Labiality in psychology means emotional instability: a tendency to show alternately in states of joy and sadness. 

(2) In this situation, the patient suffered in the remembrance of his brothers throwing dead animals at her, the brother was wrapped in a sheet and the vision of the aunt’s body on the day of the funeral. These scenes occurred in hypnotic state. 

Bibliography: 

ANDREADE, Hernani G. Spirit, Perispirit and Soul: Essay about the biological organiser model. Sao Paulo: Pensamento, 1984. 

FREUD, Sigmund. Case 2, Lady Emmy Von R. from Livonia. In: Brazilian Eletronics Edition on the Completed Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud. Imago, s.d.