The weather's heating up, so it's time to cool down with a couple of refreshing soft drinks that got their start in the 1800s and have had some dubious health benefits attributed to them over time.

• Sarsaparilla in Syphilis
• Sarsparilla - American Indian Health and Diet Project
• Temperance drinks: everything in moderation - The Guardian
• Soda: The Dubious History (And Great Flavor) of Vernors Ginger Ale - Serious Eats
• The Effect of a Standardized Ginger Extract on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea-Related Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Moderately or Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy: A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial