Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-09-11
SOFT DRINK IS OLD
Ancient Physician Believed in
Efficacy of Pure Water.
~ One DisIIked the Taste of Water
IL Could Be Favored With the
Essence Of Flowers,
Banks and Roots.

ne bOil uIlDk u 10 new liver
sion. and tho inference from this
fac; might be drawn that not all
jewellers In the dim, remote past were
hard drinkers of hard stuff. fact
which would seem to contravene much
literature descriptive Of the habits
and thirst OF our ancestors.
A suggestion. or perhaps taste. OF
some Of these very old soft drinks
and innocuous tipplea may be had by
reference TO the advice given HE pa
tients by venerable physician who
lived when our present business forms
and social customs. which many are
pleased TO call civilization. were
young. or perhaps unborn. The name
OF that physician Is now Of no espe-
cial importance. but II the reader in-
sists upon having It. why here II Is:
His name was Sangrado. and he WIS
Spaniard. No doubt there are old
chronicles which will give more In
formation than that relating TO him.
He was great believer in the efficacy
OF pure water as n potion or potation.
and be wrote this:
Health consists IN the suppleness
and humectation Of the parts Drink
water IN great abundance. II In uni
versal mensfrum that dlssolYes al
kinds OF salts. Bnt II thou feelest IN
myself any reluctance TO the simple
element there are innocent aids In
plenty that viii support thy stomach
against the insipid taste OF water.
Sage. for example. and balm viii give
II an admirable flavor. and an Infusion
OF eornpoppy. giliyfiower and rose
mary VIII render II atill more deli
cious"
Before the virtues and the vices Of
the grape we're suspected. before head
aches. quarrels and goodfelloa ship
were distilled from the peach or cher
~. and long centuries before the In
toxicating possibilities OF barley. rye
and corn we're recognized. a home and
homely tippla vas made Of honey aud
water. II satisfied the same kind Of >
thirst which many old.fashioned chill
dren OF recent age slaked With au-
gar and water--aweetened water
nothing else Honey water goes back
20 the youth OF the human family. for
honey as a sweet and a. a ~dalelaeF
long antedated the sugar Of cane.
Water favored with the essences Of
flowers. banks and roots we're com
mon family preparations To them
were ascrlbed medicinal qualities. but
II was easy 10 confer this repute upon
things grateful 10 the taste II was
good for the palate and therefore rood
for the rest OF the body. Today men
ascribo curative properties to certain
liquids. while other men aud women
cry them down Al poison. Perhaps
there was "A very widespread belief
that these palatable preparations
were remedial for many OF the Ills Of
flesh. but they we're eopiously drunk
because they were vet aud agreeable.
Sage tea was an old beverage and
sassafras tea had great vogue. q
vogue which fingers 10 some extent
among us. II Is drunk as a spring
medicine, but II is undeniably fra
grant aud even 10 some upto-data
palates has pleasing favor One Of
the things which Impressed the earli-
est white settlers IN this part OF the
country and OF which they giowingly
wrote as one OF the charms and APP
pealing features OF the new world was
the abundance OF sassafraa.
Mead was temperance drink in
early Europe before Il was perverted.
or improved. according to the point
OF view, by fermentation. II was hon
ey and water and spices. and later
ground malt with fermentation trans
formed II into potent liquid. Among
early Americans mead was gentle
and harmless drink OF sweetened wa
ter and flavoring matter. usually sar-
saparslla-
When the art or practice OF distii-
lation came 10 be understood by a
few select spirits many herbs were
charged into ardent waters. A very
early recipe for making one Of these
Oscillations, cordials or herb tonics
gives the following ingredients. with
their needfui proportions:
Juniper berries, enula campana
roots. calamus aramaticus, gallingail
wormwod, speire mint, red mint. cara
wav and angelica seeds and saffron"