From "Gareth Thomas"
As the originator of the crystal homeopathy hoax, I have no problem with crystals acting as placebos, despite what Peter Carroll suggests in his letter (15 March, p 29). What I do have a problem with is people insisting that different crystals have specific “energies”, and citing pseudoscience to support their claims. I have an even bigger problem with some people charging £100 a session for crystal healing.
As for tricking snake-bite victims into believing they have received a treatment, I don’t think it is the placebo effect that is at work here. Rather, it may help the doubtless agitated and desperate-for-treatment individual to calm down, which is likely to ease the panicky heartbeat and slow the spread of the venom. It will also make the victim’s last moments on Earth look more dignified.
London, UK
