Category Archives: Drugs and alcohol

1876: Cocaine turns 79-year-old doctor into athlete

Sir Robert Christison (1797-1882) was a Scottish physician and medical researcher who specialised in toxicology and pharmacology. In the spring of 1875, Christison, just weeks away from his 79th birthday, conducted several self-experiments using coca leaves, the natural repositories of cocaine.

Christison later summarised one of these experiments in the British Medical Journal:

“I walked 16 miles in three stages of four, six, and six miles… During the last 45 minutes of the second rest I chewed thoroughly 80 grains of my best specimen of coca… I did not observe any sensible effect from the coca till I got out of doors, and put on my usual pace – when at once I was surprised to find that all sense of weariness had entirely fled, and that I could proceed not only with ease, but even with elasticity. I got over the six miles in an hour and a-half without difficulty, found it easy when done to get up a four-and-a-half mile pace, and to ascend quickly two steps at a time to my dressing-room, two floors upstairs… In short, had no sense of fatigue or other uneasiness whatsoever.”

Later, the doctor acquired more coca leaves and used them to ascend mountains in the Scottish highlands. On one of these occasions he was accompanied by his overweight son, who after chewing coca leaves managed to climb a 3,000-foot summit “without fatigue”.

Source: Dr Robert Christison, “Observations on the effects of the leaves Of Erythroxylon Coca”, British Medical Journal, April 29th 1876. Content on this page is © Alpha History 2019-23. Content may not be republished without our express permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use or contact Alpha History.

1897: Elizabeth Hurley drunk in public; blames “bad husband”

In the summer of 1897, Elizabeth Hurley of London was convicted of being drunk and disorderly in public. She was sentenced to seven days’ hard labour – but Hurley demanded a stiffer sentence on account of her “bad husband”:

Also dealt with at the same sessions was 12-year-old Alice Candy, who was remanded into the custody of her parents for stealing two shillings – and spending it on candy. Meanwhile, a Mr H. Stephens of Finchley was fined 20 shillings for allowing his fox terrier to roam unmuzzled.

Source: The Standard, London, July 27th 1897. Content on this page is © Alpha History 2019-23. Content may not be republished without our express permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use or contact Alpha History.

1551: Dr Kyr advises caution when eating cannabis

Cannabis sativa was grown widely in the late Middle Ages and beyond, though not for its narcotic properties. Most cannabis [hemp] was used for rope-making, while commoners sometimes used young plants, seeds and pressed oil for food.

Medieval and early modern physicians were aware that eating large amounts of cannabis-based foods could induce delirium or euphoria. Writing around 1551, the Hungarian physician Paulus Kyr urged caution when nibbling on cannabis:

“Cannabis seeds are bad for the head if eaten in great quantity. [They] create foul humours and dry up the genital seed. They are difficult to digest, but are not harmful if crushed with vinegar and honey.”

Source: Paulus Kyr, The Study of Health, 1551. Content on this page is © Alpha History 2019-23. Content may not be republished without our express permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use or contact Alpha History.