The placebo effect. A patient is given a sugar pill or other spurious treatment and gets better. Works 20% to 40% of the time. It seems to be very effective for pain relief, no so good for the treatment of urinary tract infections or gunshot wounds to the chest.
Homeopathy. The theory behind homeopathy is that a small amount of something that can cause a symptom will relieve that symptom. For example a dilute solution of Belladonna, which causes headaches, is used in homeopathy to treat headaches. Being as belladonna, aka deadly nightshade, can be fatal if ingested one is led to wonder how dilute of a solution are we talking about? Typically homeopathic "remedies" are mixed one part of the original substance to one hundred parts distilled water. The mixture is shaken and 1 part of it is then mixed with one hundred parts distilled water. The process is repeated for a total of six dilutions, final dilution 1 part to 1,000,000,000,000. You would think that at that dilution the solution would be rather weak, but homeopaths claim that the more dilute it is the better it works. Studies have shown that homeopathy is effective 20% to 40% of the time. Coincidentally about the same as placebos. And it is not generally recommended for the treatment of gunshot wounds to the chest.
Other alternative therapies have about the same cure rate. Reflexology, where the foot is massaged to treat everything from gastric ulcers to heart disease, aroma therapy, faith healing, acupuncture and drum beating all have about a 30% chance of making you feel better.
So here is the key to perfect health. Eat some candy, get a foot rub, light some incense, say a prayer and beat your head against the wall. Since each of these treatments has about a 30% chance of curing you, you will feel 150% better!
OWL
Dec. 31, 2011
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