19th Century Coca Cola advertisement

Nineteenth century America was witness to a host of psychoactive drugs sold as elements in proprietary medicines, pick-me-ups, tonics and so on.

Dr John Pemberton was the originator of Coca-Cola. The drink was first named French Wine Coca, but Pemberton removed the wine to make the drink marketable to the supporters of the growing movement for alcohol prohibition. The coca, however, stayed in until 1903, when cocaine began to be associated with the supposed crimes of southern blacks, luridly reported by US newspapers.