The Genie in the Bottle is a creative book about finding chemistry in everyday life and how to use it to our advantage. Dr. Joe Schwarcz writes about many obstacles faced by the average person. He describes chemistry all around, including food and health. Also, the book is full of fun and exciting things one has never thought was related to chemistry.
In the entry called “Jumpin’ Jimson Weed”, Schwarcz describes how a lowly little weed can cause harm to one’s body. The first known documentation of this affect is from the 1600’s when a group of soldiers, in Jamestown, decided to make a stew with flavored plants. Little did they know, the plant they used was Jimson Weed. This weed contains compounds that interfere with the nervous system; thus producing hallucinations. Also, it can cause the pupils to dilate, blurred vision, rapid heart beat, reduction of saliva, and work as a sedative; all practical in medicine. This proves that Jimson Weed can be used as a drug. There are many stories of people in Mecca that shared meals with strangers and would wake up in the hospital not know what had happened, just that there valuables had been stolen. This weed was used in the food and therefore making the unsuspecting victims eat it, then ending up robbed! Although this weed just seems like an annoying plant it still has other effects that can not to be seen with the naked eye.
One may think that a Toad is just a gross slimy reptile, but in fact it can be of some use. Dr. Schwarcz informs one on cane toads in his segment “Kissing Toads”. In the 1930’s sugar cane was very dominant in Queensland, Australia; therefore so were grayback beetles. These pesky beetles were so hard to get rid of that Australia imported cane toads from Hawaii to eat them. Soon the toads multiplied, but had no affect on the beetles. After some years the beetle situation was under control, but the toad problem was just beginning. They began to increase in number quickly which became even more of a problem as kids started boiling and licking them to get a cheap high. The toads caused hallucinations, high blood pressure, delirium, rapid heart beat, and seizers. The reasons for these outcomes are because when a cane toad senses a predator they release venom behind their eyes. The poison contains 15 different compounds, including bufotalin, a heart stimulant, and bufotenin, effecting the mind. These creatures surely live up to their appearance.
A common household item for millions is aspirin. It is a tiny tablet that takes only seconds to swallow in the attempt to relieve pain. Dr. Schwarcz describes in his entry, “Willow Power”, about how not only can one alleviate a headache with aspirin, but can also prevent certain types of cancer! In the 1980’s a study was conducted in which thousands of males were given aspirin or a placebo. There was such an astonishing reduction in heart attacks for the aspirin takers that the study closed early so all the subjects could take aspirin if they wanted. This amazing drug was first discovered by Gerhardt, and then was perfected by Felix Hoffmann. Aspirin is a very effective drug, if taken in moderation; proved by a woman who took twelve tablets a day for her arthritis. She soon began to hear music even in a sound proof room. After reducing her dose to about six she no longer heard music. Schwarcz says that only one measly aspirin a day can lower the risk of breast cancer, cataracts, colon cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
It is a well known fact that millions of people around the world love chocolate. What most don’t know is that it actually can be good for the body. Schwarcz informs one on what chocolate can do for your body in his passage, “Chocolate Lovers Rejoice”. Some believe chocolate is a divine message from God saying we should eat it due to the fact its melting point is human body temperature; thus melting in ones mouth. In 1996 Andrew Waterhouse at the University of California decided to take that theory one step forward. He discovered a class of chemicals called polyphenols, which in fact had been related to health benefits. These chemicals had also been found in fruits, vegetables, and red wine; acting as antioxidants, they counterbalance free radicals in our bodies. Schwarcz notifies one that free radicals are a by-product of breathing and have been found to be related to heart disease and cancer. Some years after Waterhouse’s breakthrough, Harvard researchers published a study about how chocolate may help one live longer. The test subjects were all males over the age of 65. Those who ate 1-3 chocolate bars a month lived on average a year longer. The ones who had 1-3 bars a week still lived longer than those who ate none, but still didn’t live longer than moderate consumers. The real lesson here is that anything, even chocolate is good in moderation.
An interesting passage, having to deal with food, is called “Feeding the Diet Industry”. In our modern America, majority of people are overweight; therefore the diet industry has been thriving on new ways to help American’s drop pounds. There are thousands of different diets that apparently work, but Schwarcz informs his readers on why some of them can and why others cannot. The passage enlightens one on what a calorie really is. According to Schwarcz a calorie is a unit of measurement that is the amount of heat needed to raise one kilogram of water 1 degree. Also, because they are forms of measurement, they can not be burned. The reason for life is through calories and that is why they are the reason for weight gain and weight loss. The body needs calories to function because they are a source of fuel. If one doesn’t have enough fuel ones body will burn its stored supplies and therefore one loses weight. If there is a surplus of fuel and the body doesn’t work it off, then one gains weight. By the end of the passage one learns that the only way to a successful diet is by eating right and exercising.
Dr. Joe Schwarcz is an amazing writer and uses his knowledge of chemistry to relate to the normal person’s daily life. He helps one understand what can be good and bad for the body and what fact from fiction is. Genie in the Bottle is an interesting and endearing book, which anyone can understand.
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