Transcription and evaluation of Dr. Besim Ömer's "Mükeyyifât and Müskirâtdan Afyon, Coffee, Tea, Esrâr

Dr. Besim Ömer Akalın's Mükeyyifât ve Müskirâtdan Afyon, Kahve, Çay, Esrar (Opium, Coffee, Tea, Marijuana), published in 1899, is an important source that examines the intersections between medicine, culture and society in the modernisation process of the Ottoman Empire. This study aims to evaluate Besim Ömer's scientific approach to the use of intoxicants and intoxicants in Ottoman society and the social dynamics of the period through the transcription and evaluation of the work. The work provides a detailed analysis of the historical origins, consumption patterns and medical effects of coffee, tea, opium and cannabis. Besim Ömer adopts the principles of modern medicine and discusses the physiological and psychological effects of these substances, while at the same time drawing attention to the social repercussions of coffeehouse culture and substance use. In this context, the work is not only a medical text but also a document on Ottoman social history. While revealing its place in Ottoman modernisation and the history of medicine, the study analyses the cultural significance of everyday substances such as coffee and tea, and the controversial social roles of substances such as opium and cannabis. It is understood from his work that Besim Ömer's interdisciplinary approach was one of the early representatives of modern scientific thought in the Ottoman Empire. In addition, the information provided by the work on substance use provides important clues about the consumption habits and health perception of the Ottoman society.