Cocoa and Chocolate in the Medical History of Early Modern Europe

Abstract

The following paper examines the different medical uses of chocolate and cocoa from the 17^th to the 19^th century in Europe. The scope of application reaches from headaches, fevers and digestive disorders to tuberculosis, infertility and menstrual cramps. Furthermore, the paper analyzes how the ostensible healing functions of chocolate have been adapted to the prevalent concepts of medicine. As will be shown, the diverse qualities of chocolate closely correlate with the predominant medical opinions of the respective time.