Author Says Binge Drinking Nothing New

Angela McShane-Jones, a history lecturer at Warwick University in England, says that binge drinking is not a recent development, but rather a practice that dates back to the 17th century, the Guardian reported July 23.

In a new book, "A Pleasing Sinne: Drinking in the 17th Century," McShane-Jones writes that it was not uncommon for men of the 17th century to drink between six and eight pints of beer a day. She added that the drinking increased during the English Civil War.

McShane-Jones also found that during the 1670s, the Whigs, members of Parliament, and lords sang drinking ballads to attack each other over the amount of alcohol they drank. In studying the songs, McShane-Jones concluded that alcohol fueled numerous violent outbursts.

"It was a very violent time. The death rate was three times what it was in the 20th century. Most people died in street brawls, often drink-related," she said.

McShane-Jones also learned through her research that hangovers were common. "'Saint Monday' was a phrase indicating the inability of people to work on a Monday because of the way they had entertained themselves after church the day before," she said. "Binge drinking is far from a modern problem."