Doctors and Distillers

The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails

By: Camper English

Narrated by: Joanna Carpenter

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

“At last, a definitive guide to the medicinal origins of every bottle behind the bar! This is the cocktail book of the year, if not the decade.” —Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Plants

“A fascinating book that makes a brilliant historical case for what I’ve been saying all along: alcohol is good for you…okay maybe it’s not technically good for you, but [English] shows that through most of human history, it’s sure beat the heck out of water.” —Alton Brown, creator of Good Eats

Beer-based wound care, deworming with wine, whiskey for snakebites, and medicinal mixers to defeat malaria, scurvy, and plague: how today's tipples were the tonics of old.

Alcohol and Medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to ancient times, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition and hydration, and were employed as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases, monastic apothecaries developed mystical botanical liqueurs, traveling physicians concocted dubious intoxicating nostrums, and the drinks we’re familiar with today began to take form. In turn, scientists studied fermentation and formed the germ theory of disease, and developed an understanding of elemental gases and anesthetics. Modern cocktails like the Old-Fashioned, Gimlet, and Gin and Tonic were born as delicious remedies for diseases and discomforts. In Doctors and Distillers, cocktails and spirits expert Camper English reveals how and why the contents of our medicine and liquor cabinets were, until surprisingly recently, one and the same.

©2022 Camper English (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“At last, a definitive guide to the medicinal origins of every bottle behind the bar! From prehistoric beer to exotic French liqueurs, a swig of alcohol has always served as tonic and treatment. With a cocktail nerd's love of obscure ingredients and a passion for odd historical details, Camper English illuminates the murky, confounding, and even grotesque history of booze as medicine. This is the cocktail book of the year, if not the decade.” —Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Plants

“Mr. English has written a fascinating book that makes a brilliant historical case for what I’ve been saying all along: alcohol is good for you…okay maybe it’s not technically good for you, but he shows that through most of human history, it’s sure beat the heck out of water.” —Alton Brown, creator of Good Eats

“Camper English is the booze writer’s booze writer—the one we all turn to for true histories, unassailable facts, and clarity (of both explanation and ice). Doctors and Distillers puts his magnificent brain on full display, laying out the coiled-together histories of drinking and medicine. Every page has at least three “wait, I didn’t know that!” moments, and the bibliography will launch 1,000 magazine-article history sections. I might actually need two copies—one for my reference shelf and one for my bar.” —Adam Rogers, author of Proof: The Science of Booze and Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern

Fascinating!

What a terrific book to listen to if you enjoy a tipple now and again. Even more so if you having to be a history buff. Looking forward to listening to this again. Though I originally enjoyed the book in the audio format, I also purchased a hardcover version for my bar library, as a reference book, and to provide interesting facts for those I’m drinking with. Well done to the author, and great job to the narrator as well! This is a definite recommend for me.

“Doctors and Distillers” is easy to love.

It blends everything you need to understand the long and complex relationship between spirits & health. Like a good cocktail, Mr. English skillfully balances the science, history, and beliefs about alcohol & its medicinal consumption, then serves up a deliciously accessible narrative garnished with the perfect amount of wit. This book is just one clear ice cube shy of Camper sliding a cocktail across the bar and delighting you with his research. Luckily, he’s included recipes for drinks as he speaks to you from the pages.

Interesting

Repetitive at times but very interesting listen. Favorite fact is that dinosaurs can get malaria. Who knew