The Accidental Discovery of Coca Cola

Numerous scientific discoveries are actually found by chance. Did you know the iconic soft drink Coke actually arose from serendipity? The worldwide soda drink Coca Cola was accidentally created by pharmacist John S. Pemberton on May 6, 1886.

As a veteran of the American Civil War, he suffered from a chest wound during an audacious battle and had to find a cure. As a chemical enthusiast, Pemberton experimented with a range of painkillers and coca wines until he found a recipe to his liking. Coca wines combined cocaine with wine. He epitomised his new invention as “a valuable brain tonic that would cure headaches, relieve exhaustion and calm nerves”. Calling the accident “Pemberton’s French Wine Coca”, Pemberton marketed the medicine as “delicious, refreshing, pure joy, exhilarating and invigorating”.

Pemberton's product was an instant success. Due to public concern about alcohol addiction, he had to make it non-alcoholic and made a new recipe by blending the base syrup with carbonated water. He named the new product “Coca Cola”. However, controversies ensued that the “coca” in the name stood for cocaine. To reassure everyone that the name was just a meaningless alliteration, Pemberton's company changed it from a medicine to a soft drink.

Coca Cola is now the most popular soft drink around the world. It was very fortuitous for Pemberton to have made this discovery. Unfortunately, Pemberton died from stomach cancer at the age of 57, suffering from morphine addiction and poverty.