I actually mentioned Placebo effect, back then when Twilight_Storm had started a "does magic exist" kind of debate, which ended in flame war btw (I'm so proud of that), and like I said back then, the placebo effect is trully powerful. The power of the mind can affect the body a lot more than people think, and sometimes can make whole disease symptoms disappear, or cure chronic pain, or cause chronic pain, etc etc.
Placebo effect can have both negative and positive impact on a person.
But anyway, since Altaux said, that this was done with a "mixture" of some sort, I suggested that these things exist, meds that and can cause this "fake-love" kind of state, to a certain person.
"Mr Anderson, welcome back....we missed you...."
Every word true. The interesting thing is that a placebo might work in two-fold ways, and for that, a clinical observation will differ between a "one-blind" or a "two-blind"-study. In the first, the patient is left in the dark of his medication, in the two-blind the doctors, too.
We could applicate that now into Altaux example, like, this Obeah has given out stuff that is basically water. Still, it could work.
But let's assume this guy is really into this and wants to do his job really. But then, the plants from which he usually draws his potion stopped growing it - unnoticed. And still it would work - *if* this is done in a region were residents have a strong belief in it. fascinating beyond grip that is.
there are theories about the oracle of delphi who point into the same direction as well...
hmmmmmm, what I somehow miss in the box is an "Intoxicated Smiley".