An urbane, fictional 17th-century nobleman from Umberto Eco's The Island of the Day Before predicts the popularity of coffee (not really such an achievement for a character created by a 20th century author) and lists its old-timey health benefits:
"You should drink coffee."
"Coffee?"
"I swear that in a short while it will be the fashion. It is a panacea. I will procure you some. It dries the cold humours, dispels wind, strengthens the liver, it is the sovereign cure for hydropsy and scabies, it restores the heart, relieves bellyache. Its steam, in fact, is recommended for fluxions of the eyes, buzzing in the ears, catarrh, rheum or heaviness of the nose, as you will."
