Yeah, that’s the conclusion that Brian Dunning came to on Skeptoid:
@Glitch Dunning’s theory is that it may have been a clever hoax concocted by someone who wanted to convince others of their supposed wisdom, worldliness or knowledge.
Anyone who cares to look at it themselves can, on the Yale website or there’s a pdf on tpb.
http://brbl-dl.library.yale.edu/vufind/Record/3519597
