Ahh, the Olden Days. Back when everyone was well-dressed, well-spoken and utterly bombed out of their heads the majority of the time. As recently as 1916, Heroin (capital "H" as it was a brand name) was being sold over-the-counter in the reputable department store, Harrods. Not only that, but you could buy a cheery little hamper for your loved-one on the WWI frontline containing heroin/morphine, cocaine, syringes and needles. Heroin, at the time, was seen as the wonder drug of its age. People were already getting addicted to morphine left, right and centre, and Heroin (a derivative of morphine) was seen as the safer, purer alternative - although, it was mainly used to treat coughs and cold rather than as pain relief. It was even thought to be a much safer alternative to Aspirin and was given to everyone from your granny to your newborn. Due to the fact that it was only tested on frogs and rabbits before being made commercially available, its highly addictive qualities weren't immediately obvious. If H wasn't your style the, not to worry, because you could always indulge in a bit of opium or laudanum - a tasty combination of alcohol and opium known for its propensity for killing off romantic poets. Frankly, with the way our ancestors carried on, it's a miracle that any of us are here at all.
