Tuesday, December 17, 2013

How to Prevent Drunkenness, 1653

"How to prevent drunkenness. Drink first a good large draught of Sallet Oyl, for that will float upon the Wine which you shall drink, and suppresse the spirits from ascending into the brain. Also what quantity soever of new milk you drink first, you may well drink thrise as much wine after, without danger of being drunk. But how sick you shal be with this prevention, I wil not here determine."

Hugh Plat, The Jewel House of Art and Nature (1653)

Or combine these strategies for a foolproof anti-drunkenness cocktail: three parts wine, one part milk, a dash of salad oil. Shake well and immediately reconsider.

2 comments:

  1. "But how sick you shal be with this prevention, I wil not here determine."

    I'm going to go out on a limb and say "A lot." Yuk.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fat slows absorption. They got the reasons wrong, but the strategy is sound.

    ReplyDelete

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