Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails

CONTENTS

1 | FERMENTATION - GREEKS, GALEN, AND GUINNESS
Better Than Water
Early Medicinal Use of Beer and Wine
Ancient Greece and Wine
Galen and the Four Humors
Spice as Medicine
Theriac and Mithridate
Guinness Is Good for You

2 | QUINTESSENCE - ALCHEMY AND AQUA VITAE
The Theory and Practice of Alchemy
Alchemy in China and India
The Islamic Golden Age
Aqua Vitae
Spirit as Quintessence
The Small Book of Distillation
Paracelsus
Corpse Medicine
Unending Alchemy
Modern Metallic Drinks

3 | MONKS - MONASTIC LIQUEURS AND THE MIDDLE AGES
A History of Monastic Orders
The Black Death
Monastic Improvements
Chartreuse
Other Monastic Liqueurs
Bénédictine
Buckfast

4 | SCIENCE - PHLOGISTON, PYRMONT, PASTEUR, AND PATHOGENS
Gas and Phlogiston
Lavoisier
Taking the Waters
Scaling Up Fizzy Water
Bugs and Beer
Lister

5 | BITTERSWEET - APERITIF, ABSINTHE, AND AMARO
Sugar and Caffeine
Vermouth
Absinthe
Gentian
Aperitifs and Digestifs
Fernet-Branca
Rhubarb and Angelica

6 | SPIRITS - GRAPES, GRAIN, AGAVE, AND CANE
Armagnac and Cognac
Pisco Punch
Genever and Gin
Vodka

6 | SPIRITS - GRAPES, GRAIN, AGAVE, AND CANE
Armagnac and Cognac
Pisco Punch
Genever and Gin
Vodka
Rum
Scurvy
Whiskey
Whiskey in America
Baijiu
Agave

7 | POISON - PHOSPHATES, PATENT MEDICINES, PURE FOOD, AND PROHIBITION
The Wholesome Soda Fountain
Syphilis and Root Beer
Cocaine Drinks
Patent Medicines
The Pure Food and Drug Act
Prohibition
Moonshine

8 | TONIC - MALARIA, MOSQUITOES, AND MAUVE
The Fever Tree
Drinking Bark
Tonic Water
Mosquito Discovery and Eradication
Mauve
Coming to America
Cinchonism

9 | MIXOLOGY - MIXED DRINKS AND MODERN MEDICINE
Bitters
Evolution of the Cocktail
American and Other Iced Drinks
Modern Medicine

Notes and Further Reading
Bibliography
Image Credits
Index