An elixir recipe similar to Coca-Cola was found in a convent in Florence.
A document with a recipe for a wine elixir made from coca leaves and kola nuts has been discovered in the Florentine monastery of San Marco, presumably dating back to the end of the 19th century. The composition of the drink resembles the early Coca-Cola formula, but there is no evidence of a link between them. This was reported by The Guardian newspaper on July 30.
The Monastery of San Marco was founded in Florence in 1436, and its pharmacy began operating in 1460 and initially helped the poor residents of the city. In 1995, it was moved to another part of Florence, but the historical premises have been preserved. Other archival finds included labels of pure oxygen, cognac, and refined petroleum alcohol.
The yellowed flyer was found by the abbot of the monastery, Father Manuel Russo, who was sorting through the archive of an ancient pharmacy. The document describes a "restorative wine elixir", which was prepared using 10 g of Bolivian coca leaves, 30 g of cola nuts and wine.
The monks advertised the remedy as a tonic drink that could help restore physical and mental strength after illness, as well as cope with fatigue associated with aging. Along with the documents, Rousseau found several empty bottles, which presumably contained the elixir. Archival records indicate that the drink was in demand and cost from two to six Italian lira.
"At that time, many people produced such medicines with coca leaves. The only thing I can say is that the San Marco pharmacy had its own prescription," Russo said.
The recipe attracted attention because of its similarity to the composition of the drink by the American pharmacist John Pemberton. According to the official history of Coca-Cola, he created the drink in 1886, and the first portion was sold on May 8 of the same year at the Jacobs Pharmacy in Atlanta.
However, the researchers found no direct evidence that Pemberton knew about the Florentine recipe or used it. Drinks based on wine and coca leaves were produced in different European countries at the end of the 19th century, so the coincidence of the components does not in itself confirm the borrowing.
Tatiana Golovchanskaya, a gastroenterologist at the Soft Medical Center clinic, said on July 21 that some people may experience stomach problems with daily coffee consumption. She noted that heavy coffee consumption can increase the production of hydrochloric acid. In this case, the aggressive effect on the stomach increases.
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