The Cocaine Craze in Victorian Britain

The Cocaine Craze in Victorian Britain

Many things may come to mind when you hear the word 'cocaine' - and we'd wager that the last thing on that list would be the Victorians. But as it turns out, the Victorians were avid cocaine users, whether it be to remedy ailments and injuries, give them an edge in competitive sports or simply put a bit of pep in their step. A hundred years later, it is amongst the most criminalised substances on earth.


Dr Douglas Small is a historian of medicine and author of Cocaine, Literature, and Culture, 1876-1930. He joins us today to take us through the deeper history of cocaine and explain how it went from a central feature of Incan cultural life to the defining party drug of the modern day.


Produced by James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore and Max Carrey.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’.


We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(1491)

The History of Money

The History of Money

It is said that money makes the world goes round and has done for millennia, but what exactly is money and where does it come from? To find out Dan is joined by Jacob Goldstein, American journalist, w...

2 Nov 202130min

Why We're Wrong About George III

Why We're Wrong About George III

George III ruled through an extraordinary period of revolutionary change, political upheaval, gigantic war and scientific, industrial and technological revolution. However, he is now most famous for b...

1 Nov 202137min

Ghost Stories: The History

Ghost Stories: The History

Ghosts have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries. The belief in the existence of an afterlife, as well as manifestations of the spirits of the dead, is widespread, dating all the way b...

30 Okt 202125min

The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great

The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great

In his lifetime King Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great, forged one of the largest empires in ancient history. But it was what happened to Alexander following his demise – h...

28 Okt 202155min

The Truth About Hollywood Cowboys

The Truth About Hollywood Cowboys

At the end of the American Civil War, thousands of African Americans ventured west to the frontier in a bid to achieve freedom and escape the prejudice they faced. Many of these frontiersmen became co...

27 Okt 202122min

Tank Standoff at Checkpoint Charlie

Tank Standoff at Checkpoint Charlie

For 16 hours between the 27 to 28 October 1961, the world held its breath as Soviet and US tanks faced each other down at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin and came very close to turning the Cold War hot. ...

26 Okt 202124min

Richard III vs Henry VII

Richard III vs Henry VII

We all think we know the story of Richard III and Henry VII, or do we? Richard III is often portrayed as a child-murdering usurper whose reign was brought to a bloody end by Henry VII at the Battle of...

25 Okt 202136min

Sharpe is Back! Bernard Cornwell

Sharpe is Back! Bernard Cornwell

Watch out loyal servants of Napoleon, Sharpe is back! In this episode, Dan sits down with legendary author Bernard Cornwell to discuss the return of his most famous and loved character. Dan asks Berna...

24 Okt 202124min

Populärt inom Historia

motiv
massmordarpodden
historiska-brott
p3-historia
historiepodden-se
olosta-mord
rss-brottsligt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-seriemordarpodden
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
konspirationsteorier
militarhistoriepodden
nu-blir-det-historia
palmemordet
krigshistoriepodden
rss-historien-om
rss-arkiv-stieg
vetenskapsradion-historia
bedragare
harrisons-dramatiska-historia