“Alcoholics drink cologne”, “Fake recipes for alcohol in pharmacies” are the headlines of articles in the newspapers not the period of the “Gorbachev” anti -alcohol campaign, but the second half of 1914. With the outbreak of World War I, the dry law was introduced in Russia. But not all residents of Petrograd were ready to refuse alcohol. We prepared an interference of articles about the first months sobriety in the capital of the Russian Empire.
“Pilings of alcoholics”
“Some individuals who are particularly addicted to guilt and, in general, to alcohol, find all ways to satisfy their pernicious and black habit. In an interview with pharmacists, we learned the following:
“Never before,” the interlocutors say, “there were no recipes with the demand for absolute alcohol or alcohol at 95 degrees, as from the day of prohibition of wine trafficking in official wine shops and restaurants.” Soon we began to note that at the signatures of doctors sent to pharmacies, very rude and unforgivable errors began to be obtained, not only medical and technical, but also suffering against the spelling of the Latin language … in order to prevent this invasion of intelligent drunkards who resorting to a rude leuration, the pharmacies decided: in all cases where the alcohol is required, to demand, to demand. Recipes of doctors written on their printed forms, and, in addition, in all such cases, check the requirements by phone ”(“ Petrograd newspaper ”, August 24, 1914) 
“Alcoholics drink cologne”
“Over the past days, cases have become more frequent when women and men, unable to get vodka, drank cologne and denatured alcohol, diluting it with a small percentage of water. For yesterday, seven deaths were registered from abuse of alcohol and cologne ”(“ Petersburg newspaper ”, July 30, 1914)
“Five Secret Vinokuren”
“Secret distillation, despite the measures taken, develops quite strongly. The nest of distillation is currently Finnish territories. The police were undertaken by rounds, during which five large secret distillers were discovered. Vinokurns were discovered in Nurmiyarvi, in Yurvask, in the Kullas forest, in Vaulu and in Kurtapesk. Large reserves were discovered in all the distilutes, both completely ready vodka and mash … Recently, all the drunken ones are delayed on the border, who are forced to indicate where they were bought by vodka ”(“ Petrograd newspaper ”, October 31, 1914)
“The amazing reason for the illegal sale of wine”
“Recently, behind the Moscow outpost, as well as in the suburban workers of the Neva outpost, despite the closure of all the drinking establishments, unusual drunkenness has divorced. All detainees on charges of appearing in a drunken form on the street and in public places frankly admitted that they drank vodka, which they almost openly bought from Shinkars in Yam-Izhora, in Kolpino and in other places of this area. By order of the authorities, an investigation was carried out. And then amazing things became clear. While on July 18, alcohol trading in all official wine shops and cellars was stopped throughout Russia, below Petrograd himself, official shop No. 524 in Yam-Izhora and two local inns traded official wine until July 21 inclusive. The culprit of the late closure of the drinking institutions was a local officer who stated that only on July 21 he received a circular about the closure of drinking institutions and on the same days performed an order ”(“ Petrograd List ”, September 18, 1914)
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