A Quote from The Alcoholic Republic
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, tradition taught, and American, like
Englishmen and Europeans, universally believed, that rum, gin, and brandy
were nutritious and healthful. Distilled spirits were viewed as foods that
supplemented limited and monotonous diets, as medications, that could cure
colds, fevers, snakebites, frosted toes, and broken legs, and as relaxants that
would relieve depression, reduce tension, and enable hardworking laborers to
enjoy a moment of happy, frivolous camaraderie. Such favorable views led to
a widespread use of strong drink. Before 1750 nearly all Americans of all
social classes drank alcoholic beverages in quantity, sometimes to the point of
intoxication.
Rorabaugh, W. J. “The Alcoholic Republic, An American Tradition”, p. 25.
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