In the second half of the nineteenth century, the popularity of Vin Mariani spread throughout European and American society as a wonder cure for almost every ailment. Unfortunately, drinkers of Vin Marini didn’t know that the secret ingredient had some not so pleasant side effects.

Links:
Information on Vin Mariani can be found here and here.
Images of Vin Mariani advertisements can be found here.
Promotional advertisements for Vin Marinia featuring Pope Leo XIII can be found here and here.
Intact bottle of Vin Mariani
Food Scientists investigate bottle of Vin Mariani
Pictures and endorsements from 1893 Vin Marini book can be found here.

Sources:
Inciardi, James A. The War on Drugs II: The Continuing Epic of Heroin, Cocaine, Crack, Crime, AIDS, and Public Policy. Mountain View, Calif: Mayfield Pub. Co, 1992.
Mariani & Co. Coca Erythroxylon (Vin Mariani): Its Uses in the Treatment of Disease. Mariani & Co., 1886.
Markel, Howard. An Anatomy of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted and the Miracle Drug, Cocaine. 1st ed. New York: Pantheon Books, 2011.
Pendergrast, Mark. For God, Country, and Coca-Cola: The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the Company That Makes It. 2nd ed., rev. and expanded. New York: Basic Books, 2000.

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#278 – Vin Mariani, Cocaine, and the Pope