Back for consecutive solo episode 6 from New Orleans. I share some of what I learned from a mind-blowing book I just finished—Blitzed by Norman Ohler. It’s a fascinating look at how the rise of modern societies is as intertwined with the drug trade as much as technological advances.
I had no idea until now—but some people believe humanity’s origins were fueled by drugs. It’s wild!
I also talk about baseball, basketball & football cards, sharing a story from my card-collecting days. Turns out, winning a homerun derby at 10 years old scored me some valuable cards—including the Carl Yastrzemskii with sideburns.
Here are other topics covered in this episode:
- Friedrich Sertürner’s breakthrough in extracting morphine from opium poppies
- Challenges in early pain medication development
- Emanuel Merck’s pioneering work with opium extracts
- Rise of morphine as a pain relief medication in early 19th Century
- The Merck pharmaceutical company and its history, founded in 1668
- Use of opioid injections for pain relief during the American Civil War & Franco-Prussian War
- Vin Mariani, a coca wine patent medicine, as a health tonic
- Felix Hoffmann’s synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) for Bayer
- Valerian root as a natural sleep aid supplement
- Historical use of heroin as children’s cough syrup
- Hiring a sleep coach in New Orleans
- Reminiscing on childhood boredom
- Homerun derby gambling for valuable baseball cards
- Differences between people from different Asian countries
- Attending a concert in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Gifting unopened 1993-94 baseball and basketball card packs
- 1986-1987 Fleer basketball card collections
- My daughter’s commentary during New Orleans Saints football game
Books mentioned:
- Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler
Listen here:
