Allegedly, these therapies manipulate a patient's energy field by use of a therapist's hands, which are either placed on the patient's skin or simply held near the patient without touching. 
    Dr. John Zimmerman, in a series of experiments, discovered large frequency-pulsing biomagnetic fields emanating from hands of therapeutic touch practitioners during therapy as measured by an extremely sensitive magnetometer called a SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) (Zimmerman, 1990).  Similar frequency-pulsing biomagnetic fields were later measured and quantified from the hands of meditators and practitioners of yoga and Qi Gong using a simple magnetometer. These fields were 1000 times greater than the strongest human biomagnetic field and were found to be in the same frequency range as those being tested in medical research laboratories for use in speeding the healing process of certain biological tissues.  This range is low energy and extremely low frequency and spans from 2 Hz to 50 Hz (Seto et al., 1992, Sisken and Walder, 1995).
    One hypothesis suggests that an interaction may be occurring between the magnetic fields of the healer's hands such that an influx of gamma radiation is being absorbed into the recipient's body inducing healing via hormetic effects. The idea of hormesis goes back to ancient Greece, where it was thought that frequent small doses of a poison would fine-tune the body and cause positive health effects. The same idea applies to radiation, such that small amounts of ionizing radiation, e.g., gamma rays, have proven beneficial to humans. Without it, our health actually suffers.
    The efficiency of a biosystem increases by the adaptive responses to low-dose ionizing radiation. This is well documented in the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 1994:4  "There is substantial evidence that the number of radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations and mutations can be reduced by a small prior conditioning dose in proliferating mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. There is increasing evidence that cellular repair mechanisms are stimulated after radiation-induced damage... Whatever the mechanisms, they seem able to act not only on the lesions induced by ionizing radiation but also on at least a portion of the lesions induced by some other toxic agents."
    The recent gamma measurement results may also indicate a type of "self regulation" by the body; whereby, only the amount of gamma needed is absorbed at any given time when applied under certain conditions.  In higher elevations, where naturally occurring ambient gamma rays are more abundant, the need for these type of energy interventions may not be as great as in a lower elevation.  Subsequently, the magnitude of the observed healing results may also be affected depending on the ambient background gamma radiation.  In other words, in the lowest place on earth, the Dead Sea region, many more "healing miracles" might be apparent than in the upper elevations of Colorado. 
    Also at play may be the magnetic field strength of the healer's hands such that, healers producing stronger fields may effectuate greater gamma absorption in recipients and, thus, produce more pronounced healing effects.  It is notable that great healers, such as Jesus, were also considered "enlightened" and often portrayed with bright crown encircling halos.  Accordingly, these individuals could be characterized as demonstrating higher than usual scintillator efficiencies.
    Radiation has been suggested as the reason for the preservation of the large number of mummified bodies found in Wasserburg Somersdorf Castle in Germany.  Strong traces of radioactivity were discovered in the tombs, which experts credit with having thwarted decomposition (Cruz, 1977).  However, elevated environmental radioactivity, which apparently preserved these and similar groups of human remains, is disputed as the cause for singular events such as the cases with individual saints.  In most of these cases, the tombs involved in interment had been previously used with normal decomposition results, thus, eliminating increased environmental radiation as the preservative (Cruz, 1977).
In the light of death
    History is replete with both religious and medical accounts of dead bodies that fail to decompose.  The Catholic Church has chosen to ascribe this postmortem enigma to the enlightened individual who, in most cases, becomes a saint.  One such case occurred in May of 1381 after the Emperor Wenceslas ordered the drowning of St. John Nepomucen.  "The martyr was no sooner stifled in the waters, but a heavenly light appeared over his body, floating on the river and drew many to the banks."  On April 14, 1719, 336 years after St. John's drowning, his tomb was opened.  Among the customary ashes was found an incorrupt tongue that retained the "normal shape, size, and color of the tongue of a living man, and. . .still both soft and flexible." Other notable cases, documented and venerated by the church, demonstrate incorrupt hearts, blood, and tissue (Arnold, 1977).
    A preponderance of light phenomena surrounding the dying process of several other incorruptibles has also been observed.  "The sanctity of St. Guthlac was affirmed by the many witnesses who saw the house wherein he died enveloped with a bright light, which proceeded from there into the heavens.  The perfume which proceeded from the mouth of St. Louis Bertrand on his deathbed was accompanied by an intense light which brightened his humble cell for several minutes.  Many other saints were favored with this illumination, including St. John of the Cross, St. Anthony of Stroncone, and St. Jeanne de Lestonnac." (Cruz, 1977)