Part 28 (2/2)

Device for the not-very-sick-but-somewhat-neurotic-

(”Did your mother's hair really fall out? All of it?” Euphoria, though enraptured, allowed herself to break in.

”A lot of it did,” I answered.

”Poor woman! Suffering from one of the ills that mortals fall hair to. Ho ho!” said Euphoria. ”Don't stop, don't stop. There's more to read. Ho ho!”) I read grimly on.

There are pills which are drugs which have plenty of power

But when you eat them, alas, their taste is sour,

They give you a frown and a scowl and a glower.

But the sweet placebo makes n.o.body cower!

Of invisible strength it's a veritable tower!

How sly the placebo, how subtly deceiving:

It only pretends, but succeeds, in relieving,

For its recondite force, whether medical or dental,

Lies just in this fact: that it's nothing but mental.

If we hadn't the placebo for the hypochondriacal

The whole world would soon go quickly maniacal!

So you patients who are found to be fit as a fiddle,

You patients whose ailment's an insoluble riddle,

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