A potion for prolonged life? Germes' recipe, a secret handwritten note from an 18th-century Swedish physician.

Abstract

Background: Toward the end of the late Middle Ages and into the early modern era, a variety of elixirs and potions for longevity with claimed medical effects were advertised by pharmacists and distributed throughout Europe. At the same time, there was an increasing emergence of handwritten commonplace books of home remedies, first among the aristocrats and rich merchants, then later among other populations, providing basic recipes for all types of common medical disorders. From a historical-pharmacological perspective, this study seeks to analyze a handwritten note encompassing a recipe detailing an herbal elixir for prolonged life that was written by a Swedish physician named Germes. It was discovered by the authors in an old herbal book purchased at a flea market in Germany. The note, composed of three pages, appears to be written in a type of German cursive handwriting. One study objective was to transcribe this note into Latin alphabet-based German and then further translate the document into modern English. Furthermore, this study aimed (a) to estimate the period of the note's creation; (b) to contextualize Germes' recipe in history regarding the contemporary understanding of the nature and effectiveness of such formulations; (c) to assess its uniqueness, and (d) to examine the criteria used by the original practitioner, and later by consumers, in order to evaluate the efficacy of such home remedies, while also analyzing how these perceptions evolved before and after creation of the handwritten primary source..

Methods: The transcription process was performed through manual reading and inputting into a word processing software, with guidance from several manuals. Historical placement of the note was achieved through the assessment of the calligraphic handwriting and analysis of terms and words that were specific for a certain time period. Contextualization was performed through a review of various primary sources on plant medicine and contemporary pharmacy.

Results: The analysis of the transcribed note made it possible to narrow down its creation to 1770-1820. It tells the story of Germes, whose secret elixir recipe was found in his jacket after he fatally fell off his horse at the age of 104, with his family members also living exceptionally long, which all accredits to the panacea described. The note contains accurate descriptions of its preparation and methods of administration, and Germes' elixir can be used in the treatment of a variety of medical disorders. Several similar recipes for elixirs for longevity were identified in the literature, with a contemporary remedy called "Swedish Bitters" being nearly identical in terms of ingredient composition. The origins of "Swedish Bitters" were traced back to the late seventeenth century or early eighteenth century, where it rapidly gained popularity in the European market, particularly in Germany. This may accredit the handwritten note's creation, modification, and embellishment through retelling.