at people achieve similar results whether they
take a placebo (which they think is the real medication) or real
medication that was prescribed. Several years ago many such tests were
carried out with antihistamines to prevent colds. The results were
always the same.

We are interested in what makes the placebo act as effectively as the
true medication. It stands to reason that a chain reaction is set up,
actually causing a physiological result from a psychological reaction.
The unsuspecting patient declares, "I've never felt so good in my life."
Yet, this would never have happened if he didn't think he was taking the
marvelous new medicine. A recent scientific study by one of the leading
pharmaceutical houses concluded that one third of the effectiveness of
any medication depends upon the faith and trust that the patient has in
the prescribing physician.

I am sure that the placebo results and the patient's faith in the
physician as contributing factors to the effectiveness of medications do
not come as a revelation. We are all aware of such information. Our
problem is how to harness this unconscious process for constructive
goals. The answer is through self-hypnosis.

Self-hypnosis, as we have explained it, uses a technique called
visual-imagery. This has been referred to by many different names, but
for our purposes we'll call it visual-imagery. Within this technique
lies one of the keys for achieving the goals that you want. There have
been many famous books written incorporating this technique as a basis
for achievement. Perhaps the most famous of all is called _Think and
Grow Rich_ by Napoleon Hill. In recent years, _The Magic of Believing_
by Claude M. Bristol and _The Power of Positive Thinking_, already
mentioned, have become well-known. The book which gives direction to
most of the books in this field is called _Self-Mastery Through
Conscious Auto-Suggestion_ by Dr. Emile Coue. I am sure the older
readers of this book have heard of his famous saying, which I will
repeat here for emphasis. "Day by day, in every way, I am getting better
and better." Invariably, in all these books, there is reference to the
Biblical quotation, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

As the reader can deduce, we are not theorizing about a startling new
discovery. The technique is as ancient as man himself and his dream of a
better tomorrow. All books using the visual-imagery technique tell you
to paint a vivid, mental pict