In the perennial search for something to head off or cure the common cold, two doctors at the Permanente Foundation Hospital in Oakland, Calif, (established in 1942 by Shipbuilder Henry Kaiser) gave twice-daily doses of penicillin to almost 1,500 volunteers. An equal number, serving as controls, were given chalk pills.
Neither group knew which dosage they got.
After a year, in which more than $100,000 worth of penicillin was used, the doctors came to a sad conclusion: if you want to ward off a cold, chalk is just about as useful as penicillin and a lot cheaper. Neither prevents a...
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