A brief history of the hangover and its remedies—from cabbages to cloves and the lungs of a goat
Anyone who has ever woken up with a hangover will recognize its physical and psychological effects: headache, nausea, self-loathing, regret and perhaps even some shame at the uninhibited behavior that accompanied the intoxication.
Hangovers present a blend of physical and mental distress in their sufferers, with contemporary challenges exacerbated by the permanence of online records of drunken actions. The adage that avoiding alcohol the night before is the best remedy, however, does little to assist those already suffering. Drinking excessively has deep roots in history, from Plato's depiction of a drunken Alcibiades to Dionysus worshippers in ancient Greece, who embraced intoxication as a way to transcendence.
In Greek culture, consuming undiluted wine was considered dangerous, as evidenced by King Cleomenes I of Sparta's descent into madness after drinking with Scythian warriors. The Biblical account of Noah's drunkenness, as reported by his son Ham, illustrates the cultural impact of alcohol, with Ham's actions being interpreted in various ways, suggesting a degree of voyeurism, incest, or even rape.
Despite these ancient attitudes towards alcohol, modern science offers limited solutions, as indicated by a study in the journal Addiction that suggests the drugs tolfenamic acid and pyritinol, as well as clove extract, may warrant further exploration as potential remedies. However, the notion of curing a hangover may be based on the faulty assumption that one can reverse the bodily and psychological damage caused by heavy drinking.
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