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Peter Sellers – Alexander Walker
Still in search of any means of treatment that would give reassurance without unbearable emotional strain, and accompanied by Lynne, Peter flew to the Philippines in October 1976. Peter had heard about the so-called psychic surgeons of Manila, who were reputed to be able to perform operations without the use of instruments or anaes thetics. Lynne was permitted to remain with Peter during the 'surgery', which was performed over a period of ten days in their hotel suite. She was even allowed to take photographs of them at work.

‘The two surgeons wore short-sleeved Filipino shirts, so they had nowhere to conceal any material,' she recalled. 'They laid a white towel on Peter: some sort of x-ray, since shadowy areas seemed to appear on it, allowing them to carry out a diagnosis. They then began massaging his skin. Suddenly blood appeared - and their hands seemed to slip under his skin and enter his body.

All this time Peter was completely conscious of what was going on and feeling no pain at all. He reported he could feel their fingers exploring his internal organs and seeking any malign entity, like a blood-clot. They brought out what looked like a dozen of these and put them in a kidney tray.

Each time they finished, they smoothed the skin back into place and left no sign that anything had ever entered it.'

Lynne was well aware how controversial, not to say suspect, such techniques were considered to be. Reputablemedical associations gave no warranty of respectability (or even effectiveness) to what many condemn as a clever conjuring trick practised by charlatans.

In fairness, it must be added that Sellers was not charged anything and his name was never used (except by himself in later public comments on the 'operation') to advertise the surgeons' services.

'He did seem to show improvement,' Lynne said, 'but it lasted only a couple of months:'