What's up, Doc?

The history of medicine it’s not. It’s the history of the use of placebos.
Until recent times, practically all treatment consisted of placebos. The
Powerful Placebo by Arthur and Elaine Shapiro, argues this with much cogency and
example to conclude that what we are left with are psychological effects, in
other words mystery. Published by John Hopkins University Press,
£33/$39.95, ISBN 0801855691.