(/ˈpalɪətɪv/)
Adjective
1. Something that minimizes pain caused by a disease or illness, rather than curing the disease or illness itself
… Like love or peace or tenderness, cola is not a simple thing, but a complex one. In the mid 1800s, John Pemberton invented the soft drink we know by the name by combining extracts of the African kola nut and the coca plant: Coca-Cola was born. But the taste of cola—originally a pharmaceutical tonic—had very little to do with either coca or kola. The coca leaf was originally chosen as a palliative to Pemberton’s morphine addiction, and the bitter kola nut added caffeine. To make the drink palatable and marketable, sugar and other flavorings were added.
From the post: The relaunch of Crystal Pepsi reminds us of simpler times
Source: How Crystal Pepsi Anticipated Silicon Valley (theatlantic.com)
