Drugs

Fix the Pumps tells the real history of the soda fountain, starting with its invention, through its golden era of creativity and into its dependance on patent medicine and narcotics. The history of the soda fountain is as vibrant as any other period in American history.

Fix the Pumps provides a wealth of information on techniques employed by soda jerks. The recipes span the spectrum of… [Continue]

If you've read Fix the Pumps, you may have noticed that one of the reoccuring themes was the competition between saloons and pharmacies (bartenders and druggists) to hook the people on their tonics. Until 1906, when the Pure Food & Drugs Act was introduced, the local pharmacy / soda fountain had no restrictions on what they could… [Continue]