Ed Helms

It makes sense that you'd try to deter people from drinking this stuff. But then along came prohibition. Legal liquor disappeared. And the aftershave is all that was left. People weren't stealing it to drink before. Then suddenly, they were. So whose fault is that?

It makes sense that you'd try to deter people from drinking this stuff. But then along came prohibition. Legal liquor disappeared. And the aftershave is all that was left. People weren't stealing it to drink before. Then suddenly, they were. So whose fault is that?

Yeah, pretty unfortunate, right? For any American who just wanted a drink.

Yeah, pretty unfortunate, right? For any American who just wanted a drink.

Thousands of people are dying from alcohol poisoned by our own government. And we're just like, okay, I mean, that's messed up. And what's even more messed up is that the government's response to all these people dropping dead was, hey, it's your fault. You drank it. Tough cookies. Needless to say, Norris doesn't see it that way. He throws down a challenge for his readers.

Thousands of people are dying from alcohol poisoned by our own government. And we're just like, okay, I mean, that's messed up. And what's even more messed up is that the government's response to all these people dropping dead was, hey, it's your fault. You drank it. Tough cookies. Needless to say, Norris doesn't see it that way. He throws down a challenge for his readers.

These deaths, these government poisonings, they were caused by Prohibition. To him, they were the fault of the people who pushed for Prohibition in the first place. And then they were the fault of the people adding poison to alcohol, knowing that people were going to drink it.

These deaths, these government poisonings, they were caused by Prohibition. To him, they were the fault of the people who pushed for Prohibition in the first place. And then they were the fault of the people adding poison to alcohol, knowing that people were going to drink it.

Norris and Gettler wanted to boil it down for readers, so people understood just how many people around the country were dropping dead from Prohibition. It seems pretty clear the only sensible path forward is to do one of two things, either end the denaturing program or end Prohibition itself. Things had gotten so bad, Gettler and Norris drew a chilling comparison.

Norris and Gettler wanted to boil it down for readers, so people understood just how many people around the country were dropping dead from Prohibition. It seems pretty clear the only sensible path forward is to do one of two things, either end the denaturing program or end Prohibition itself. Things had gotten so bad, Gettler and Norris drew a chilling comparison.

Finally, Norris slaps a title on this baby. Our essay in extermination, Read between the lines. The title of Norris' piece was not our essay in tragedy. It was our essay in extermination. And who are those poor souls subject to said extermination from the failed experiment of prohibition?

Finally, Norris slaps a title on this baby. Our essay in extermination, Read between the lines. The title of Norris' piece was not our essay in tragedy. It was our essay in extermination. And who are those poor souls subject to said extermination from the failed experiment of prohibition?

For the past decade, Norris and Gettler have watched the city's working class watering holes shudder, only to be replaced with backroom joints, where the liquor was deadly. Most of the poisoned liquor that Gettler was testing came from these dives, where bootleggers pushed low-grade, albeit affordable, alcohol.

For the past decade, Norris and Gettler have watched the city's working class watering holes shudder, only to be replaced with backroom joints, where the liquor was deadly. Most of the poisoned liquor that Gettler was testing came from these dives, where bootleggers pushed low-grade, albeit affordable, alcohol.

The quality of motor oil booze couldn't hold a candle to the stuff rich New Yorkers were able to get their hands on or what certain dry politicians were sipping on in the Capitol, thanks to our man George Cassidy. It was insane that America found itself here. But was anything going to change? Was Norris and Gettler's work going to make any difference at all?

The quality of motor oil booze couldn't hold a candle to the stuff rich New Yorkers were able to get their hands on or what certain dry politicians were sipping on in the Capitol, thanks to our man George Cassidy. It was insane that America found itself here. But was anything going to change? Was Norris and Gettler's work going to make any difference at all?

In late 1928, our essay on extermination first appears in a literary magazine called the North American Review. But it's not just the devoted readers of the North American Review who will read Norris's words. Nope. This time, Norris and Gettler get the attention of the whole country.

In late 1928, our essay on extermination first appears in a literary magazine called the North American Review. But it's not just the devoted readers of the North American Review who will read Norris's words. Nope. This time, Norris and Gettler get the attention of the whole country.

Yep, that was big news, all right. Pour it all out, Deborah Blum.

Yep, that was big news, all right. Pour it all out, Deborah Blum.