Noah Vinter
Winston Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol, drinking champagne at every meal, scotch throughout the day, and nightcaps of brandy. So, when he visited the US in 1931, during the height of Prohibition, he needed to find a way to continue drinking. Although alcohol was forbidden for general public consumption, it was still viewed as a valuable health aid for certain conditions. Doctors were able to prescribe alcohol for medicinal purposes, and so Churchill obtained a prescription from Dr. Otto C. Pickhardt, who recommended the use of alcoholic spirits especially at mealtimes, with a minimum of 250 cc daily but an indefinite total amount.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for prescription | To bypass Prohibition in the US |
| Doctor's name | Otto C. Pickhardt |
| Amount prescribed | Indefinite; minimum of 250 cc daily (more than 8 ounces) |
| Cost | $3 for the prescription and $3-$4 for the alcohol |
| Alcohol prescribed as a treatment for | Cancer, anxiety, and depression |
| Churchill's alcohol consumption | Drank champagne at every meal, scotch throughout the day, and brandy nightcaps; drank a lot |
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What You'll Learn
- Churchill's alcohol prescription was written by Dr Otto C. Pickhardt
- The prescription was for an indefinite amount of alcohol
- Doctors were able to prescribe alcohol during Prohibition for medicinal purposes
- The prescription allowed Churchill to circumvent Prohibition
- Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol
Churchill's alcohol prescription was written by Dr Otto C. Pickhardt
Winston Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol. He consumed Scotch throughout the day and followed it up with nightcaps of brandy. So, when he visited the United States in 1931, during the height of Prohibition, he had to find a way to continue drinking. Although alcohol was forbidden for general public consumption, it was still viewed as a valuable health aid for certain conditions. Depending on the doctor and the condition, one could find a willing medical professional who could write a prescription to aid their symptoms.
Churchill was treated at Lenox Hill Hospital after being hit by an oncoming car in Manhattan. He suffered a fractured nose and ribs, a three-inch cut on his forehead, and severe shock. He also developed pleurisy, a condition that causes sharp chest pains. After his release from the hospital, Churchill went to the Bahamas to recover in the company of his family. When he returned to New York to begin his lecture tour, he received a prescription for alcohol from his physician, Dr. Otto C. Pickhardt.
Dr. Pickhardt wrote that "the post-accident recovery of Hon. Winston S. Churchill necessitates the use of alcoholic spirits especially at mealtimes." Churchill was prescribed a naturally indefinite quantity of alcohol, with a minimum requirement of 250 cubic centimeters (or about eight ounces) per day. This was justified as being for medicinal purposes, with the prescription stating that Churchill required alcohol to aid his recovery from the accident.
Dr. Pickhardt was not the only doctor to prescribe alcohol during Prohibition. During the first year of Prohibition, doctors prescribed an estimated eight million gallons of medicinal alcohol, or 64 million pints. Loopholes and lax enforcement allowed doctors to prescribe more than the legal limit. While some doctors may have genuinely believed in the medicinal benefits of alcohol, others were simply taking advantage of a lucrative opportunity. Daniel Okrent, author of "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition," suggested that while there may have been some legitimate prescriptions, the practice was largely a way for physicians and pharmacists to make extra money.
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The prescription was for an indefinite amount of alcohol
Winston Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol. He drank champagne at every meal, enjoyed scotch throughout the day, and ended his days with nightcaps of brandy. So, when Churchill visited the United States in 1931, during the height of Prohibition, he was faced with the prospect of forced abstinence.
However, alcohol was still viewed as a valuable health aid during this time, and doctors could prescribe it for "medicinal" purposes. Thousands of doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, and dentists held permits to prescribe select quantities of rye whiskey, scotch, and gin for various conditions, including cancer, anxiety, and depression.
Churchill obtained a prescription from Dr. Otto C. Pickhardt, who wrote that the statesman should consume alcoholic spirits, especially at mealtimes, and that the "quantity is naturally indefinite but the minimum requirements would be 250 cubic centimeters." This amounted to more than eight ounces per day.
Churchill's prescription was part of a larger trend during Prohibition, where doctors wrote an estimated eight million gallons of medicinal alcohol prescriptions during the first year of the ban. This arrangement was lucrative for doctors, who were paid well for their services, while "patients" could continue to access alcohol.
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Doctors were able to prescribe alcohol during Prohibition for medicinal purposes
In the early years, enforcement was lax, and by 1921, many physicians and pharmacists had realised the law’s money-making potential. Some watered down alcohol, while others issued heavy-handed prescriptions. Doctors could prescribe more than the legal limit due to loopholes and a lack of oversight.
One of the drinkers who took advantage of this loophole was Winston Churchill, who was prescribed alcohol by his American doctor, Otto C. Pickhardt, during a visit to the US in 1931. Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol, and was not keen to go "dry" during his trip. He was prescribed a naturally indefinite amount of alcohol, with a minimum of 250 cc (more than eight ounces) per day.
Churchill's prescription was written after he was hit by a car in New York City, which left him with a sprained shoulder, among other injuries. He also privately battled depression and pleurisy, a condition that causes sharp chest pains.
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The prescription allowed Churchill to circumvent Prohibition
Winston Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol. So, when he visited the US in 1931, during the height of Prohibition, he knew he had to find a way to continue drinking. While alcohol was forbidden for general public consumption, it was still viewed as a valuable health aid for certain conditions. Depending on the doctor and the condition, one could find a willing medical professional who could write a prescription to aid their symptoms.
Churchill's doctor, Otto C. Pickhardt, prescribed him "the use of alcoholic spirits especially at mealtimes." The prescription noted that the quantity was "naturally indefinite," with a minimum of 250 cubic centimetres, or eight ounces, per day. This was more than enough to keep Churchill comfortably lubricated for the rest of his time in the States.
Churchill's prescription was not an isolated case. During Prohibition, thousands of doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, and dentists held permits to prescribe select quantities of alcohol for various conditions, including cancer, anxiety, and depression. In the first six months of Prohibition alone, 15,000 doctors applied for permits to prescribe alcohol to their patients.
The ability to prescribe alcohol created a lucrative opportunity for medical professionals. "Patients" could pay around $3 every 10 days for the prescription and an additional $3 to $4 for the alcohol itself. Doctors and pharmacists took advantage of this opportunity to make a quick buck, prescribing access to alcohol and selling it to those looking to circumvent the restrictions of Prohibition.
Churchill's prescription allowed him to legally obtain alcohol during his time in the US, demonstrating his determination to continue drinking despite the challenges posed by Prohibition.
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Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol
Winston Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol. He drank Champagne at every meal and enjoyed Scotch throughout the day, followed by nightcaps of brandy. When he visited the United States in 1931 during Prohibition, he obtained a doctor's note to bypass the ban on alcohol. Otto C. Pickhardt, Churchill's American doctor, prescribed him "the use of alcoholic spirits especially at mealtimes," with a minimum of 250 cubic centimetres (or eight ounces) daily. The prescription noted that the quantity was "naturally indefinite."
Churchill was not alone in obtaining a prescription for alcohol during Prohibition. In the first year of Prohibition, doctors prescribed an estimated eight million gallons of medicinal alcohol, or 64 million pints. During the first six months of Prohibition, 15,000 doctors applied for permits to prescribe alcohol to patients. While some people may have had a perceived medical need for alcohol, the prescription of alcohol during Prohibition was also a way for physicians and pharmacists to make extra money.
Churchill's drinking habits have been the subject of much discussion and speculation. Some have questioned whether he was an alcoholic, while others have argued that this characterisation is a myth and that he was a high-functioning alcoholic. Churchill himself reportedly said, "I'm doing my best to cut down.... Alcohol is decidedly detrimental to one's health... Not if you drink in moderation."
Churchill's alcohol consumption is also mentioned in the private diaries of those he dealt with during his political career, and it is reported that he made decisions of grave consequence while intoxicated.
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Frequently asked questions
Churchill was a well-known lover of alcohol, drinking champagne at every meal, scotch throughout the day, and nightcaps of brandy. When he visited the US during Prohibition, he was able to obtain a prescription for alcohol from a doctor, allowing him to continue drinking.
In December 1931, Churchill was in a car accident in New York City, which left him with a deep gash to the head, a fractured nose, fractured ribs, and severe shock. He was treated at Lenox Hill Hospital and later saw Doctor Otto C. Pickhardt, who prescribed him "the use of alcoholic spirits especially at mealtimes".
Churchill's prescription stated that he required a minimum of 250 cubic centimeters (cc) of alcohol, which is about 8 ounces per day. However, the prescription also noted that the quantity was "naturally indefinite".
Yes, during Prohibition, it was common for doctors to prescribe alcohol for medicinal" purposes. In the first year of Prohibition alone, doctors prescribed an estimated 64 million pints of medicinal alcohol. While some people may have had a genuine medical need for alcohol, the practice also allowed physicians and pharmacists to profit from selling a way to circumvent Prohibition.
