The complaint about people adding water to the beer is the earliest record of al

W: Has alcohol always been a part of people’s lives?
M: Alcohol has been with us for thousands of years and must be nearly as old as civilization itself. The earliest piece of graffiti ever found, on a wall in ancient Sumeria, complained that the beer was being watered down. In most societies, it is an integral part of celebrations and social gatherings.
W: So do you believe a little alcohol can actually do us good?
M: There seems to be substantial medical evidence that a small amount of alcohol can be beneficial to health. The bad news is that an increasing number of people are suffering from alcohol-related health problems. It’s estimated that between 8 ,000 and 25 ,000 people die each year in Britain from alcohol abuse.
W: Why is it that drinking alcohol usually has the effect of making people feel happier about everything around them?
M: Although alcohol contains very little by way of vitamins or minerals, it does provide energy: about 100 calories per glass of wine and about 200 per pint of beer. It is this sudden rush of energy which causes the feeling of euphoria and well-being that alcohol often produces.
W: How exactly does it damage the body?
M: Once you have drunk alcohol, it begins to get into the bloodstream. You notice its effects immediately when it reaches the brain. Most people know the feeling of being drunk. But once it’s in the blood, it is distributed throughout all the water in the body and that means it can be found in almost every organ and tissue. That’s where the trouble starts, because only the liver can convert alcohol to other substances and clear it from the system.
W: Is it better, then, to do without alcohol altogether?
M: Going over the limit once or twice a year, at a party or a celebration, probably won’t do any lasting damage. But if you drink too much regularly, then you increase the risk to almost every body function. Constantly overworking the liver can cause it to enlarge, and jaundice and cirrhosis may result. It increases the risk of cancer and depresses the entire immune system, making heavy drinkers prone to all manner of infections. Most worryingly, it helps cause obesity and is one of the causes of the very high incidence of heart disease in Britain.