{"product_id":"2940014302678","title":"Aphrodisiacs and Anti-Aphrodisiacs: Three Essays On The Powers Of Reproduction; (Illustrated)","description":"As a specimen of the aphrodisiacs which were common in the 17th Century, we quote the following from \"The Holy Guide\" by John Heyden, Gent, who called himself \"a servant of God, and a secretary of Nature\". This liquor which was termed, \"Fortuna Veneris\" enjoyed considerable repute, and had the merit of being easily prepared, except that it would take three months to make. From the use of ants it would seem as though our forefathers had some vague notion of the preparation of chloroform, or at least of formic acid, but there is reason to believe that the ants were only introduced because being able to give irritating bites, it was imagined that some sort of powerful stimulant could be derived from their bodies. This theory appears the more feasible because in the Arabic book, wasps are also used.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe recipe, as given by John Heyden, runs: \"Take of pismires or ants (the biggest, having a sourish smell are the best,) two handfuls, spirit of wine one gallon; digest them in a glasse vessel, close shut, for the space of a month, in which time they will be dissolved into a liquor; then distil them in balneo till all be dry. Then put the same quantity of ants as before; do this three times, then aromatize the spirit with cinnamon. Note, that upon the spirit will float an oil, which must be separated. This spirit is of excellent use to stir up the animal spirits, insomuch that John Casimire, Palgrave of the Rhine, and Seyfrie of Collen, General against the Turks, did always drink thereof when they went to fight, to increase magnanimity and courage, which it did even to admiration.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe following is a quote from the book concerning the above recipe: \"This spirit doth also wonderfully irritate them that are slothful to venery\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn another recipe the eggs of ants, wood-lice, and two hundred and fifty bees are employed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the Eighteenth Century, when morals were at a very low ebb, aphrodisiacs were employed to a great extent, but they were usually either extremely dangerous or inert. The former contained either phosphorus or cantharides. Many of the latter professed to contain aurum potabile, or liquid gold. A belief had been handed down from antiquity that if gold could be dissolved it would restore youth, and of course all the forces of youth, to any aged patient who could afford to purchase the medicine. Even down to the very end of the Eighteenth Century, there were not wanting rich simpletons who employed chemists, or more often charlatans, to make experiments in preparing \"the elixir of life\". The gold was not usually dissolved, but found its way, still in a solid state, into the pockets of the empirics. Men, like the celebrated Cagliostro, had a smattering of knowledge and plenty of impudence, and certainly no difficulty in finding rich fools who were prepared to pay anything to have their worthless and mis-spent lives prolonged.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOf this most Interesting and curious work only 100 copies were printed for subscribers. It is divided into three sections: \"Ancient Phallic Worship.\" — \" Anaphrodisia; or, Absence of the Productive Power,\" and of — \"Aphrodisiacs and Anti-Aphrodisiacs ;\" the illustrative plates are drawn from antiquarian sources.","brand":"OGB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47080032764144,"sku":"2940014302678","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014302678_p0.jpg?v=1763605693","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014302678","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}