Alcohol for Teething Babies
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was common for parents to rub whiskey or brandy onto teething babies’ gums to numb the pain. Some pediatric formulas even included alcohol as an ingredient. Doctors and midwives casually recommended it as a simple fix for restless infants.
This seemingly harmless practice introduced alcohol into fragile, developing systems—sometimes leading to drowsiness, slowed breathing, or worse. Cases of infant alcohol poisoning weren’t uncommon. Thankfully, modern medicine now offers safe alternatives like teething rings and topical gels. But it’s a chilling reminder of how casually toxic substances were once used on children.
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