Monday, 11 January 2010

When Drugs Were Drugs

One of the reasons they call it the "Good Old Days".
Treatments from back in time:

Bayer's Heroin


Heroin was sold between 1890 and 1910 as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. It was also used to treat children with strong cough.


Coca Wine


Metcalf Coca Wine was one of a huge variety of wines with cocaine on the market. Everybody used to say that it would make you happy and it would also work as a medicinal treatment.


Mariani wine


Mariani wine (1875) was the most famous Coca wine of its time. Pope Leo XIII used to carry one bottle with him all the time. He awarded Angelo Mariani (the producer) with a Vatican gold medal.


Maltine

Produced by Maltine Manufacturing Company of New York. It was suggested that you should take a full glass with or after every meal. Children should take half a glass.


A paper weight

A paper weight promoting C.F. Boehringer & Soehne (Mannheim , Germany). They were proud of being the biggest producers in the world of products containing Quinine and Cocaine.


Opium for Asthma

No comment.


Cocaine tablets (1900)

All stage actors, singers teachers and preachers had to have them for a maximum performance. Great to "smooth" the voice.


Cocaine drops for toothache

Very popular for children in 1885. Not only they relieved the pain, they made the children happy!


Opium for new-borns

I'm sure this would make them sleep well (not only the Opium, but 46% alcohol!)


And these days it is hard to get anything more than paracetamol from your doctor?