Gin and Tonic (1930)

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 2/6/03 2:51:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,
pmcgraw at LINFIELD.EDU writes:

> >  Hence gin [sick] came to be called "tonic" because it
>  >> was a widely-used medicinal, and the combination of course became "gin
>  >> and tonic".
>  >>
>  > I believe that's "quinine came to be called 'tonic'", or else we'd be
>  > drinking tonic and tonics.
>
>  Or else we'd be drinking gin and gin.  Who could object to that?

In a long-ago science fiction book _Sibyl Sue Blue_ by Rosel George Brown
the two-fisted title character has a favorite drink which is always named in
the text "gin and 'gin".  I could never figure out what that drink might be.


      There was an old man quite laconic
       Whose doctor advised "Take a tonic
              Try a mug of beer
              And your senses will clear"
       "No," said the man.  "That's too tonic"

                           - Jim Landau