A potion () is a liquid "that contains medicine, poison, or something that is supposed to have magic powers.” It derives from the Latin word potus which referred to a drink or drinking. The term philtre is also used, often specifically for a love potion, a potion that is supposed to create feelings of love or attraction in the one who drinks it. Throughout history there have been several types of potions for a range of purposes. Reasons for taking potions ranged from curing an illness, to securing immortality to trying to induce love. These potions, while often ineffective or poisonous, occasionally had some degree of medicinal success depending on what they sought to fix and the type and amount of ingredients used. Some popular ingredients used in potions across history include Spanish fly, nightshade plants, cannabis and opium. During the 17th to 19th century, it was common in Europe to see peddlers offering potions for ailments ranging from heartbreak to the plague. These were eventually dismissed as quackery. Prostitutes, courtesans, enchanters and midwives were also known to distribute potions. Etymology The word potion has its origins in the Latin word potus an irregular past participle of potare which meant "to drink.” This evolved to the word potionem (nominative potio) meaning either "a potion, a drinking” or a "poisonous draught, magic potion." In Ancient Greek, the word for both drugs and potions was “pharmaka” or “pharmakon.” In the 12th century, the French had the word pocion meaning "potion, draught, medicine." By the 13th century, this word became pocioun meaning "medicinal drink, dose of liquid medicine or poison". The word potion can also be sourced from the Spanish words pocion meaning "potion," and ponzoña meaning "poison." The Italian's also had a word pozione meaning "potion". The word pozione is the same word for poison in Italian. By the early 15th century in Italy potion began to be known specifically as a magical or enchanted drink. Administrators of potions The practice of administering potions has had a long history of being illegalised. Despite these laws, there have been several different administrators of potions across history. Quacks Quacks or charlatans are people who sell "medical methods that do not work and are only intended to make money". In Europe in the 15th century it was also common to see long-distance peddlers, who sold supposedly magical healing potions and elixirs. During the Great Plague