With the Zika virus on so many minds these days, people are feverishly trying to control the mosquito population by spraying pesticides and getting rid of standing water.
In addition, to ensure those nasty, virus-carrying bloodsuckers don't snack on our tender bodies, Miamians have taken to using Off! as our new cologne and wearing long pants and turtlenecks in the middle of a South Florida summer. Don't even try to find a citronella candle at Home Depot!
Maybe we should all just relax and have a nice gin and tonic. This classic cocktail was invented in the 1700s for British army officers in India as a way to entice soldiers to drink their quinine. The quinine in the tonic was an effective antimalarial and used in tropical regions. Soon the drink became a popular summer cocktail around the world.
It was also found that the quinine in tonic water also served as a direct deterrent to mosquitoes. Though it sounds like fake science, the United States Department of Agriculture backs up this claim. In an August 2014 study, quinine worked like deet or citronella to repel mosquitoe
Scientists discovered that three sensory cells were activated in the hair. One cell was activated by salt, a second cell was activated by sugar, and a third cell was activated by either quinine or the insect repellents tested, including DEET
Of course, tonic water now is mostly carbonated sugar, with only trace amounts of quinine. But if you're going to have a cocktail anyway, make it a gin and tonic just to be on the safe side
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