Robert J. Chassell wrote:
Deborah Harrell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote,
Actual but non-moral consequences also occur in the 'sins of the fathers (and mothers)' realm: congenital syphilis and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome come to my mind. ...
Good point. I wonder whether Fetal Alcohol Syndrome helped push the
notion?
How much alcohol causes the syndrome? Could watered wine, such as the ancient Greeks drank (like beer nowadays), cause the syndrome? Wine and beer are old, although distilled spirits are not. (As far as I know, they are post-Roman, Arabic.) I think of gin and its equivalents as causing fetal alcohol syndrome, but I don't know whether the dosages you can get from watered wine or from beer have the same effect. If so, then the ancient powers that were -- the most rich at the time -- would likely have suffered.
(This brings up another question: to what extent is the claim that rich and powerful Romans liked wine with lead salts in them; and to what extent did this hurt them? Certainly, I have heard the stories, but I do not know the extent of their truth.)
Speaking of gin, I think I will have a gin and tonic right now. It is
hot and humid, and the mosquitos are out, although I doubt any this
far north carry malaria. (Anyhow, good reasons.... :)
Funny, while reading this I was semi-following a talkshow on drunk mothers. Makes me very thirsty. Especially with these temperatures. It's such perfect sangria weather. ;o)
Sonja GCU: Fizzy water... straight up.
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