Elixir of youth: a recipe from the excavations
Archaeologists have restored the composition of the "elixir of youth"
Egor Antonov, "Science and Life" based on DNA Info New York and Chrysalis ArchaeologyDuring excavations in New York, on Bowery Street (Manhattan), archaeologists found a small glass bottle, which, as the inscription said, contained the "elixir of youth."
Photo: Chrysalis Archaeology
The find was made during the excavations of a German beer courtyard of the late XIX century, among other bottles. As archaeologists explain, at the end of the century before last, doctors and chemists developed a number of mixtures for the treatment of the most common diseases. They gave these mixtures different funny names and sold them in pharmacies.
"We wanted to find out what this medicine tasted like," says Alyssa Loorya, head of Chrysalis Archaeology, which oversees excavations in the city.
The researchers turned to their German colleagues. The latter found the recipe for the "elixir" in a medical reference book of the XIX century. It turned out that different plants were used to make the medicine: aloe, rhubarb, gentian, ceodaria (white turmeric), saffron. They were infused with grain alcohol diluted with water (vodka or gin).
Such tinctures were quite common in the XIX century and are always available in bars, says Alice Loria. "We don't know what exactly – the abundance of alcohol or grass–made people feel better," she said.
"Elixir of youth" or "elixir of immortality" is a drink often found in mythology and fantasy works. Sometimes it is identified with the Philosopher's stone. It is believed that such an elixir is able to give a person who has drunk it eternal life or eternal youth.
Alchemists and scientists from different countries have been working on the invention of the drink for a long time, since ancient times, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
In some cases, toxic substances were used in the manufacture of the elixir, and those who tried the resulting drug died.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru25.06.2014