Ed Helms

When word reached James Duran that yet another formula had been defeated, he ordered his chemists to keep going.

When word reached James Duran that yet another formula had been defeated, he ordered his chemists to keep going.

Wow. Gasoline? Tell me you're out of ideas without telling me you're out of ideas. After Formula 6 was successfully defeated, Formulas 3 and 4 were beaten and tossed out later that year. But there was one formula that was still effective. And it was barely a formula at all. It was a simple recipe. To your vat of fine industrial alcohol, add wood alcohol. Straight up.

Wow. Gasoline? Tell me you're out of ideas without telling me you're out of ideas. After Formula 6 was successfully defeated, Formulas 3 and 4 were beaten and tossed out later that year. But there was one formula that was still effective. And it was barely a formula at all. It was a simple recipe. To your vat of fine industrial alcohol, add wood alcohol. Straight up.

Yep, remember that original byproduct of home distilling that Norris and Gettler were warning New Yorkers about way back in 1918 at the start of Prohibition? Well, Duran's chemists had used traces of wood alcohol in their formulas before, but it was always part of a complex cocktail. Now they were just dispensing with everything else. And just adding a shit ton of wood alcohol.

Yep, remember that original byproduct of home distilling that Norris and Gettler were warning New Yorkers about way back in 1918 at the start of Prohibition? Well, Duran's chemists had used traces of wood alcohol in their formulas before, but it was always part of a complex cocktail. Now they were just dispensing with everything else. And just adding a shit ton of wood alcohol.

Like, twice as much as ever before. But that's not all. As historian Deborah Blum tells us, the government chemists now had their hands on the purest, deadliest wood alcohol they could find.

Like, twice as much as ever before. But that's not all. As historian Deborah Blum tells us, the government chemists now had their hands on the purest, deadliest wood alcohol they could find.

And of course, right away, bootleggers began siphoning it out of industrial warehouses and dishing it out on the streets. In October 1928, Bellevue Hospital is utter mayhem. Everywhere, people are vomiting, hallucinating, dying in the emergency room. Gettler and Norris are overwhelmed. Over just three days in October, they see 33 deaths from poisoned liquor.

And of course, right away, bootleggers began siphoning it out of industrial warehouses and dishing it out on the streets. In October 1928, Bellevue Hospital is utter mayhem. Everywhere, people are vomiting, hallucinating, dying in the emergency room. Gettler and Norris are overwhelmed. Over just three days in October, they see 33 deaths from poisoned liquor.

By Gettler's count, 25 from wood alcohol. And just in time for Election Day. Now, as Gettler examines the dead in his lab, you can imagine him listening to election night returns. November 6, 1928. The presidential election between Herbert Hoover and Al Smith ends in a landslide. A landslide? Of course it was. Americans were tired of the violence.

By Gettler's count, 25 from wood alcohol. And just in time for Election Day. Now, as Gettler examines the dead in his lab, you can imagine him listening to election night returns. November 6, 1928. The presidential election between Herbert Hoover and Al Smith ends in a landslide. A landslide? Of course it was. Americans were tired of the violence.

They were tired of the status quo eight years in, and Prohibition was massively unpopular. Prohibition was on the ballot, and no wonder the election wasn't close. But hang on a second. I did pretty well in fifth grade history, and I don't ever remember there being a President Al Smith, which must mean... And Hoover sets a record for electoral votes and crushes Smith. Hoover won?

They were tired of the status quo eight years in, and Prohibition was massively unpopular. Prohibition was on the ballot, and no wonder the election wasn't close. But hang on a second. I did pretty well in fifth grade history, and I don't ever remember there being a President Al Smith, which must mean... And Hoover sets a record for electoral votes and crushes Smith. Hoover won?

Yeah, he sure did. In a knockout. In fact, Hoover won on economic promises. But Smith also couldn't overcome anti-Catholic prejudice and ginned up rumors that he was even taking orders from the Vatican and from the country's biggest bootleggers.

Yeah, he sure did. In a knockout. In fact, Hoover won on economic promises. But Smith also couldn't overcome anti-Catholic prejudice and ginned up rumors that he was even taking orders from the Vatican and from the country's biggest bootleggers.

Smith's crushing defeat was a win for Prohibition, and also a win for Hoover superfan Mabel Walker-Willibrandt, who saw the victory as voters practically putting their stamp of approval on her June raids. Mabel and Duran had pulled out all the stops Al Smith had lost, and Prohibition was here to stay. And, by the way, deadlier than ever.

Smith's crushing defeat was a win for Prohibition, and also a win for Hoover superfan Mabel Walker-Willibrandt, who saw the victory as voters practically putting their stamp of approval on her June raids. Mabel and Duran had pulled out all the stops Al Smith had lost, and Prohibition was here to stay. And, by the way, deadlier than ever.

On the other side, Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler didn't have a minute to waste. It was time for their big swing, to put an end to a national emergency.

On the other side, Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler didn't have a minute to waste. It was time for their big swing, to put an end to a national emergency.