Known as tonics, cocaine wines were a hit when introduced in the late 1800s -- Angelo Mariani, a wealthy chemist from the island of Corsica, formulated his popular version, Vin Mariani -- in 1863. Cocaine wine is exactly what you think it is – a concoction of cocaine and wine -- and, it had an incredible fan base that included – spoiler alert – TWO popes.

Known as tonics, cocaine wines were a hit when introduced in the late 1800s -- Angelo Mariani, a wealthy chemist from the island of Corsica, formulated his popular version, Vin Mariani -- in 1863. Cocaine wine is exactly what you think it is – a concoction of cocaine and wine -- and, it had an incredible fan base that included – spoiler alert – TWO popes.

Humans have always committed crimes. What can we learn from the criminals and crimes of the past, and have humans gotten better or worse over time?

Criminalia

Angelo Mariani's Cocaïne Wine : Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca de Pérou

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4b609c6a-9374-4376-b739-b1af0052bfda/transcript

In the mid-1890s, Harry Kramer’s Sterling Remedy Co. introduced a product called, Cascarets Candy Cathartic. Cascarets were just laxatives, but the product blew away the competition. And a lot of that had to do with how it was marketed (a stroke of brilliance): Harry advertised the product as candy – and historians believe he may have been the first to have marketed medicine in that way. They were brown tablets – nothing special there – but they had a “pleasant taste -- almost as pleasant as chocolate.” In just a few years, by 1899, they’d become so popular that more than 5 million boxes were purchased annually. Harry, an entrepreneur who was adept at advertising – maybe that’s an understatement -- was only 38 years old at the time. So let’s meet this advertising sensation.

In the mid-1890s, Harry Kramer’s Sterling Remedy Co. introduced a product called, Cascarets Candy Cathartic. Cascarets were just laxatives, but the product blew away the competition. And a lot of that had to do with how it was marketed (a stroke of brilliance): Harry advertised the product as candy – and historians believe he may have been the first to have marketed medicine in that way. They were brown tablets – nothing special there – but they had a “pleasant taste -- almost as pleasant as chocolate.” In just a few years, by 1899, they’d become so popular that more than 5 million boxes were purchased annually. Harry, an entrepreneur who was adept at advertising – maybe that’s an understatement -- was only 38 years old at the time. So let’s meet this advertising sensation.

Harry Lewis Kramer: The Ad Man Who Marketed Medicine As Candy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7343af91-3a88-45c6-a7bb-b1a800c28497/transcript

Talking about the United Society of True Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing – a religious group commonly known as Shakers -- doesn't mean this is an episode about religion. They were disciplined and hard-working, and they were also innovative -- a good combination of characteristics that helped them finance their communal lives in a few successful ways. Their most successful business didn’t come from their famous furniture or inventions like the clothes pin, though. It was their knowledge of herbs and their practice of botanical medicine -- and what it was like for them to practice patent medicine in a time of snake oil sales.

Talking about the United Society of True Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing – a religious group commonly known as Shakers -- doesn't mean this is an episode about religion. They were disciplined and hard-working, and they were also innovative -- a good combination of characteristics that helped them finance their communal lives in a few successful ways. Their most successful business didn’t come from their famous furniture or inventions like the clothes pin, though. It was their knowledge of herbs and their practice of botanical medicine -- and what it was like for them to practice patent medicine in a time of snake oil sales.

The Shakers: America's Early Pharmacists

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7fa9d9ed-4254-4311-98fa-b1a10073be31/transcript

Daffy's Elixir was one of the most popular patent medicines in Britain -- and it sold for nearly 300 years, which is amazing considering these types of products were often a flash in a pan. But what makes this product different than others we’ve talked about this snake oil season, other than its longevity, is that its ingredients list wasn’t kept secret -- it was a novel idea to publish ingredients for patent medicines at a time when most products didn’t even put that information on the label. And manufacturers seemed to be okay with that -- maybe because no one could actually prove ownership.

Daffy's Elixir was one of the most popular patent medicines in Britain -- and it sold for nearly 300 years, which is amazing considering these types of products were often a flash in a pan. But what makes this product different than others we’ve talked about this snake oil season, other than its longevity, is that its ingredients list wasn’t kept secret -- it was a novel idea to publish ingredients for patent medicines at a time when most products didn’t even put that information on the label. And manufacturers seemed to be okay with that -- maybe because no one could actually prove ownership.

Who Really Made the Real ‘Daffy’s Elixir’ and What Was Really In It?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b25315a9-7b80-4636-95a5-b19a0061dc6d/transcript

Angelo Mariani's Cocaïne Wine : Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca de Pérou

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