Testing a placebo blocker

Oooo!  This really is a hard experiment to design.  Placebo effect is real, and this xkcd cartoon posted nearby at the Curious Wavefunction hints at some of the complications. Warning: science nerds only; ordinary people may not find this funny. 

Homeopathic water - thanks for the memories.

Sometimes, just sometimes, it takes a philosopher to figure out why non-scientific treatments appeal to so many people.  Damon Young's brief essay on homeopathy gets right to the point, although what is the solution?  Have a read.