America has gone mad. The Smithsonian was snookered and made a quick and reasonable recovery from their flirtation with scientific frauds, but will the Cleveland health education museum overcome this taint?

The Cleveland health education museum will open its doors to faith healer Dr. Issam Nemeh on July 10, creating an unusual venue for a purported miracle healing service.

HealthSpace Cleveland waived the customary $5,000 rental fee for Nemeh, said Patricia Horvath, the executive director.

Sad to say, all signs say no. The museum board seems to be well stocked with credulous idiots.

"We decided not to charge them because a number of board members are supporters of Dr. Nemeh's work," Horvath said.

"We see spiritual health in the holistic view of overall health," she said.

Dr. Ted Castele, chairman emeritus of the health museum, is among those whose stories of being helped by Nemeh were featured on WEWS Channel 5. Nemeh's popularity surged on a series of televised reports claiming miracle cures under his hands.

Castele, a former medical reporter for the station, said his frozen shoulder regained mobility after Nemeh prayed for him. "Whether physical therapy caught on or it was faith healing, that's up to each individual to decide for themselves," Castele said in an interview.

Grace Drake, a museum trustee and former state senator, said she had no problem with Nemeh using the museum.

"He has had some good results, and people have testified to that," she said. "I'm sure most people are quite ill who do this, and God bless them."

How did these people get to be in charge of a science and medicine museum?

As for this Nemeh phony, he's a faith healer—he and his wife "cure" people by laying on of hands and prayer—and acupuncturist. I guess they must whip out the needles when God is too busy to do his magic.

The Plain Dealer reported earlier this month that Nemeh's method of acupuncture requires only a five-day training course and uses a device not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for clinical safety or effectiveness. The paper also reported that Nemeh had sued after being kicked out of a medical residency program at Fairview Hospital. The paper also reported that even though Nemeh claimed he worked as an anesthesiologist at Richmond General Hospital for several years, officials at the hospital said Nemeh worked there for only four months.

Quack, quack, quack.