{"product_id":"aphrodisiacs-and-anti-aphrodisiacs","title":"Aphrodisiacs and Anti-Aphrodisiacs","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat did people trust to stir desire—and what did they turn to when they wanted it quiet?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Aphrodisiacs and Anti-Aphrodisiacs, John Davenport gathers accounts from earlier physicians, travellers and scholars about substances said to awaken or restrain desire. Foods, spices, plants, animal products and charms enter the picture. His subject brings old medicine into contact with folklore and religion, revealing beliefs about human passion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1869, the book belongs to a world where writings on sexual matters circulate privately among small circles of readers. Davenport approaches this guarded subject as a collector of curious knowledge. Read his gathering of claims as a record of history and custom, not as medical advice: many lack support from modern medicine, and some substances can cause harm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat you'll discover\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA guarded Victorian subject\u003c\/strong\u003e – Explore sexual lore gathered in a century that speaks of sex through careful hints.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRemedies rooted in belief\u003c\/strong\u003e – Meet foods, plants and charms that earlier cultures trust to influence desire.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe other side of passion\u003c\/strong\u003e – Discover beliefs about quieting desire, alongside claims about stirring it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVoices from earlier writings\u003c\/strong\u003e – Follow Davenport through accounts by physicians, travellers and scholars with different sources of knowledge.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistory rather than prescriptions\u003c\/strong\u003e – Examine old claims with curiosity while keeping belief distinct from reliable medical guidance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect for readers drawn to Victorian curiosities, the history of medicine and folk belief, rather than medical advice or a tidy argument.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpen the first page now and explore the beliefs Davenport gathers around desire and restraint.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Library of Alexandria Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59534691369308,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1027\/9442\/8764\/files\/13807_en_ebook-front_c22.jpg?v=1792175094","url":"https:\/\/libraryofalexandria.com\/products\/aphrodisiacs-and-anti-aphrodisiacs","provider":"The Library of Alexandria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}