soup VS cold

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A couple of days ago, I found in an old reference book a saying "Chicken Soup the Best Medicine for a Cold". A sense of great awe comes over me as I approach this old wives' tale. I mean, who am I to comment on one of the universal truths of the ages? But, like the proverbial fool, it is my sworn duty to rush in, even to a place where angles utter not a peep. I could "chicken" out of this whole challenge by taking refuge behind the one statement about this "Jewish penicillin: that nobody would ever argue with. The obvious benefit, when you have read all that is written about treating colds and flu, is that its' the hot liquid characteristic of chicken soup that makes it effective. Colds and fevers tend to dehydrate the body, and cause chills; therefore hot liquids help. So far so good. However, like prunes, chicken soup has other qualities, chemical compounds, or whatever you want to call it, that do, indeed, make it a very effective treatment for colds,, flu and similar ailments.