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On 17th century "cocaine"
A new analysis of mummified brains pushes back the timeline for the globalization of coca
The new wave of hyper-available, hyper-potent synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs influenced modernity in hundreds of complex but important ways, from the mass-produced amphetamines that accompanied World War II-era armies into battle to the opioid epidemic and the rise of “narco-states” to the contemporary prevalence of antidepressants and ADHD prescriptions. What’s most interesting about the presence of coca in the brains of ordinary Milanese hospital patients is that it suggests something more than just elite experimentation — something that is a step toward the “democratized” modern drug culture that David Courtwright wrote about. He offers helpful tips about how to finance such travels, such as buying “dates, wine, spirits, and all the fruits of Persia, which one carries to India either dried or pickled in vinegar, on which one makes a good profit.” See also his Manila—> Mexico trick for cornering the market in mercury used to treat syphilis ( Wikipedia)
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