March 29

COCA-COLA

John Stith Pemberton was the inventor of one of the most successful soft drinks
of all time. Doc Pemberton, as he was called, was a pharmacist. He lived in Atlanta,
Georgia, in the 1880s.
At that time, it was not unusual for pharmacists to mix up their own
medicines and sell the medicines as cures for all kinds of ailments. Doc
Pemberton was no exception.
One of Doc Pemberton’s medicines contained a new drug that came from the
coca leaf. It seemed to give people a sense of increased intelligence and a great
feeling of well-being.
Another ingredient in some of Doc Pemberton’s medicines came from the
seeds of the kola fruit. The ingredient was actually caffeine, and though it did not
cure illnesses, it did seem to give sick people energy.
Doc Pemberton got the idea to make a soft drink with kola that everyone
could buy by the glass for a nickel. Kola had a bitter taste, so Doc Pemberton
added sugar, lime juice, and citric acid to the dark syrup. He also added a bit of
the coca leaf drug.
A partner in Pemberton’s company changed the spelling of kola and named
the new drink Coca-Cola. On March 29, 1886, the first ad for the “refreshing,
invigorating” drink appeared in the Atlanta Journal
Journal.
Doc Pemberton did not get rich with his invention. He became sick, sold his
share of the company for a small amount, and died in 1888.
About this time, it was discovered that the drug in Coca-Cola was called
cocaine. This drug was found to have very harmful effects on the body. Because
of this, cocaine was taken out of the formula for Coca-Cola. Today, Coca-Cola is
the largest beverage company in the world.

© Remedia Publications 57 Daily Reading Activities: Spring

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 Name Coca-Cola

Facts
1. When and where did Doc Pemberton live?

2. What was in Doc Pemberton’s soft drink when he first made it?

3. What happened on March 29, 1886?

M Locating the Answer

4. The drug that came from the leaf seemed to give people a

A
sense of increased and a great feeling of well-being.

Sequence
R 5. Number these events in the order that they happened.
Pharmacists mixed up their own medicines.

C
Doc Pemberton sold his share of the company.
An ad for Coca-Cola appeared in the Atlanta Journal.

H Cause and Effect

6. Why was cocaine taken out of Coca-Cola?
ⓐ People decided that they really didn’t like the taste.
ⓑ People discovered that it was really a harmful drug.
ⓒ It was too expensive.

29 Fact or Opinion
7. Coca-Cola is the best-tasting soft drink sold today.

Inference
8. Which of these statements is probably true?
ⓐ People liked Coca-Cola because it made them feel better and
gave them energy.
ⓑ People liked Coca-Cola because of its bitter taste.
ⓒ People didn’t like Coca-Cola and stopped drinking it.

Daily Reading Activities: Spring 58 © Remedia Publications

Daily Comp - Spring.indd 58 2/8/08 9:15:25 AM