
Zzyzx, California, or the Biggest Health Spa Scam in American History - nols
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/zzyzx-california-or-the-biggest-health-spa-scam-in-american-history
======
Udik
I don't get it. Most of the remedies listed sound exactly like those sold
every day by proponents of homeopathy and alternative medicines. Boiron, which
has a stable presence in the USA, has thousands of employees and revenues in
the hundreds of millions, selling stuff like "Oscillococcinum", which is plain
sugar, at a price of around $1000/kg. Have they been condemned for fraud and
false advertising?

~~~
JamesBarney
Yep. They have been condemned for fraud and false advertising.[0]

[0][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscillococcinum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscillococcinum)

------
tptacek
Video of Curtis Howe Springer and Zzyzx:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91rdB5fDMaA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91rdB5fDMaA)

------
bbleciel
i took the exit pictured here out of curiosity once.. drove 10 miles into the
desert to the remains of the retreat. walked inside a small library or welcome
center and found a warm cup of coffee but no person to accompany it.

then, walking around the grounds outside in the sun (it was summer), i started
to have a panic attack. i climbed in my car to leave but my car wouldn't
start. -eventually it did. strange place

------
mattbeckman
I made a trip to Zzyzx as part of a CSUF geology trip years ago. Strange
place, but I wish I had known the back story back then!

------
coldcode
To use a Yiddish word, this guy had real chutzpah. Then again as long as there
have been suckers, there have always been people to take advantage.

