By Sarah Norman | November 6, 2023

Did The American Government Poison Alcohol During Prohibition?

Welcome to a hidden corner of history, where the shadows of Prohibition and conspiracy theories converge in a chilling tale that few have dared to explore. As we step back in time to the era of speakeasies and bootleggers, we invite you to join us on a journey to uncover the enigmatic conspiracy theory that suggests the U.S. government may have poisoned alcohol during this tumultuous period. While many are well-versed in the Prohibition era and its illicit allure, the sinister twist of government involvement remains a well-kept secret. Today, we open the door to this little-known chapter of history, shedding light on a theory that challenges our understanding of a nation grappling with its vices. So, grab your detective hat and delve into this captivating tale of intrigue, as we seek to unveil the truth behind the conspiracy that may forever change the way you view this remarkable period in American history. Join us on this journey, and together, let's unearth the mysteries hidden in the murky past. Read on to uncover the shocking revelations that await.

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Most of the time, conspiracy theories are simply fantastical hoaxes. However, every once in a while, one proves to be true. Believe it or not, the U.S. government poisoned thousands during the Prohibition era in its war against alcohol.

The Temperance Organizations Won Out In 1919

National Archives

Prohibition was the culmination of a long fight by Temperance organizations against alcohol. In 1919 the 18th Amendment to the Constitution went into effect which banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors. The subsequent Volstead Act which took effect in 1920 provided the means by which Prohibition was to be enforced.

Police Couldn't Stop The Flow Of Alcohol

The Boston Globe

Prohibition was impossible to enforce. An illegal black market for alcohol including a proliferation of speakeasies sprung up before the ink on the amendment dried. Associated with this was a rise in gangs and organized crime that took control of the liquor market. Alcoholism counterintuitively actually increased during Prohibition.

There Was No One Way To Enforce Prohibition

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The United States attempted various means to enforce Prohibition. Normally this was by bolstering law enforcement. There were also legal means. Alcohol was not simply used for drinking — there were plenty of industrial uses for the substance as well such as in paints and thinners.

Industrial Alcohol Producers Had To Change Their Formulas

Library Of Congress

To encourage producers of industrial alcohol to not make a product that could be used for drinking purposes, offered tax breaks to “denature” it by adding noxious substances to the alcohol to make it undrinkable.

Methanol Poisoning Was A Real Possibility During Prohibition

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In the midst of the roaring 1920s, as Prohibition continued to drive the demand for illicit alcohol underground, a sinister and unintended consequence began to unfold. The nation was facing a growing epidemic of alcoholism, with people defiantly seeking ways to satisfy their thirst for spirits. By the mid-1920s, alarming reports of methanol poisoning started to emerge from different corners of the country, painting a disturbing picture of the era.

The Government Doubled Down On Their Plan

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Faced with this escalating crisis, the government found itself in a perplexing dilemma. They recognized that bootleggers were taking industrial alcohol and refining it for consumption, thus evading the government's attempts to control alcohol production. In response, a chilling and controversial strategy was conceived: making industrial alcohol so fatally toxic that it would serve as a deterrent. The idea was to instill such fear in the population that they would refrain from consuming any form of alcohol. This desperate measure became a dark chapter in the annals of Prohibition, as the government grappled with an unforeseen and devastating consequence of its own making.

There Were A Ton Of Chemicals In Bootlegged Alcohol

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During the tumultuous years of Prohibition, a sinister and deadly game of chemical cat and mouse unfolded as the government embarked on a dangerous experiment to deter illegal alcohol consumption. In a desperate bid to dissuade bootleggers and their clandestine operations, the government resorted to a shocking strategy: contaminating industrial alcohol with a cocktail of deadly substances, including benzine, mercury, and most notably, methanol or wood alcohol. Methanol, with its closely bonded structure to drinking alcohol, proved nearly impossible for bootlegger chemists to extract, setting the stage for a perilous showdown between government authorities and underground distillers.

The War Of The Chemists

Source: Google

The chemists' war ensued, with bootleggers attempting to purify their brews, while government scientists strived to concoct formulas that would render the illicit liquor undrinkable. Warning signs were not in short supply, as figures like Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler, prominent medical and toxicological authorities, pleaded with the government against this deadly course of action. Nevertheless, the government proceeded, and the consequences were swift and devastating, as people began succumbing to the lethal effects of methanol poisoning, marking a tragic chapter in the dark history of Prohibition.

The "Re-Naturing" Process

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Bootleggers who stole or otherwise illegally obtained industrial alcohol found ways to circumvent denaturing by redistilling the alcohol — renaturing them in effect. In the mid-1920s, some 60 million gallons of industrial alcohol was stolen for illicit consumption.

The Chemicals Got Even Worse

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To address the problem, the U.S. Government decided to step up its game and make industrial alcohol even more undesirable to bootleggers by putting even mixing even worse ingredients into it. Of the many toxic chemicals, the worst was wood alcohol (methanol). The government claimed it was not trying to poison anybody, but wanted to make industrial alcohol unfit as a beverage. They believed that the risk of poisoning would be an effective deterrent to alcohol consumption. Advocates of the addition of poisons noted that it was clearly marked by a skull and crossbones.

Denatured Alcohol Was Added To The Illegal Alcohol Supply

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All of the poison additives did not matter to many bootleggers who took the denatured alcohol and mixed it with regular liquors to stretch their supply. Yet the situation did not make national news until the days around Christmas in 1926 when 40 people died at New York’s Bellevue Hospital from drinking denatured alcohol. About a hundred people died that week. While some Prohibition supporters viewed the poisoning as degenerates getting what they deserve, many others were strongly critical of the government’s callousness.

Opponents Of The Denaturing Process Were Horrified That America Poisoned Its People

Library Of Congress

One outspoken opponent was Charles Norris, New York City’s Chief Medical Examiner who wrote:

Poison, poison everywhere, and increasing thousands are daily drinking it. Shall we simply shrug our shoulders and say ‘So much the worse for them’?

He called the poisonings a “serious indictment of Prohibition before the court of public opinion” even though he supported some denaturing of industrial alcohol in order to “prevent its being all drunk away and thereby denied to legitimate industry and business.” Still, he stated at a press conference:

The United States government must be charged with the moral responsibility for the deaths that poisoned liquor causes, although it cannot be held legally responsible.”

The Government Didn't Care That People Were Dying

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During Prohibition, the U.S. government's response to the alarming instances of alcohol poisoning was a reflection of the complex political landscape of the time. The nation was divided into two distinct camps: the "dries," who fervently believed in the virtues of a dry nation, and the "wets," who opposed the prohibition of alcohol. In the mid-1920s, the dries held sway in political power, with key figures like President Calvin Coolidge and later Herbert Hoover aligning themselves with the dry cause. Under their leadership, the government's response was to seize upon the methanol poisoning crisis as a potent warning message to the public.

Prohibition By Any Means Necessary

AP

The Treasury Department, responsible for enforcing liquor laws, played a pivotal role in this effort. Government officials boldly announced their intention to intensify the toxicity of industrial alcohol as a stark deterrent, almost as if it were a weapon in the political arsenal. They employed public relations tactics, even summoning reporters to ensure that the message reverberated loud and clear: "Quit drinking, because we're going to make this a lot more poisonous." This brazen approach reflected the government's determination to enforce Prohibition by any means necessary, even at the risk of tragic consequences.

No One Knows How Many People Were Affected

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Some have estimated to up to 10,000 people were poisoned by Prohibition’s end in 1933. The truth is that the actual number of poisonings and related deaths will never be known. Death by alcohol-poisoning was seen as a social stigma for degenerates and private doctors would as Norris put it, “prefer to ascribe death to other ‘natural causes’ when they can, in the case of clients in good standing or society.”

You Could Still Buy Non-Lethal Alcohol, But It Would Break Your Bank

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Obtaining non-lethal alcohol was a complex and often expensive endeavor, defined by a stark divide between the privileged and the less fortunate. Those with the means to do so could access high-quality liquor, albeit at a steep price. Smuggled spirits from Canada and the Caribbean flowed into the country, while exclusive companies arranged exotic cruises to the Caribbean, providing a luxurious escape for those willing to pay. For those who could afford it, top-tier European imports were available on the black market. Additionally, individuals with resources could even set up their own backyard distilleries, crafting their liquor in secret. However, the situation was starkly different for the average person visiting a speakeasy, where the origin and quality of the alcohol were often shrouded in mystery.

Have A Sip Of Ginger Jake

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During Prohibition, the quest for non-lethal alcohol often led to creative yet perilous alternatives. A notable example of this pursuit was the infamous concoction known as Ginger Jake. When bootleggers faced the halt of Jamaican ginger, a popular ginger-flavored alcoholic drink in the South, they sought to fill the void with a new formula. This substitute promised a buzz without the presence of actual alcohol, using chemical compounds that triggered a similar effect.

Alcohol Substitutes Were Just As Deadly As Denatured Alcohol

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The compounds used to make alcohol substitutes carried a sinister twist—they were neurotoxic, attacking the same neural systems affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The consequence was a wave of individuals exhibiting semi-paralytic symptoms that initially bewildered medical professionals, who often misdiagnosed it as polio. Tragically, this dangerous alternative was primarily consumed by poor individuals, serving as a stark reminder of the unequal impact of Prohibition on society's most vulnerable.

The Denaturing Process Is Still A Thing

The memory of the denaturing program faded although the denaturing process is still used today. The difference is that there is no point to drinking denatured alcohol since safe alcohol can be found legally and in quantity.

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