Did Churchill Have A Prescription for Booze?

I’ve read many times before that Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill received a prescription for booze so he could skirt around America’s prohibition laws in the 1930s. As clever as that all may sound, no one is entirely sure that this is true.

While on a lecture tour, in New York, 1931, Churchill was struck by a car going about 35 miles per hour as he hurriedly tried to cross the street to meet someone for dinner. He suffered a broken nose, a gash on his head, and a few broken ribs.

Even after being hit by a car, Churchill decided to continue his tour so his doctor in New York prescribed him a minimum of five shots of alcohol to possibly help him with relaxation and pain management.

The actual prescription seen below reads:



Image from Churchill Archives Center, Churchill College

Churchill’s case is not unique as many doctors used to prescribe alcohol for all kinds of ailments. But, during the ban of alcohol in America in the 1920s and 30s, people took advantage of this and doctors did as well. Some doctors and pharmacists saw the prohibition as an opportunity to make a few extra bucks by performing “check ups” on patients and charging out the wazoo for their “medicine”.

Was this the case for Churchill?

So today’s question is: Do you think Churchill’s prescription was legit, or just a way to get trashed during the prohibition? Tell me what you think in a comment below!

Alcohol Prescription

Alcohol Prescription Flask, Amazon

BONUS FACT: Winston Churchill’s mother invented the Manhattan cocktail in the early 1870s.