TY - JOUR T1 - Time Ladies and Gentlemen! JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 192 LP - 192 DO - 10.3399/bjgp14X677914 VL - 64 IS - 621 AU - Moira Davies Y1 - 2014/04/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/64/621/192.abstract N2 - First Floor Gallery and Treasures Room Royal College of Physicians, London 13 January–27 June 2014 Monday–Friday 9am–5pm, free entry ‘Alcohol is the anaesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.’ George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950).On the day we visited the Royal College of Physician’s exhibition on alcohol the first motorway pub opened in the UK (in Buckinghamshire), which must surely go down as a triumph of commerce over public health.There is a reason why humans like to drink. ‘Ardent spirit’, ‘fire water’, ‘booze’, ‘grog’, ‘liquor’, call it what you will, it loosens inhibitions, raises cheer, and contributes to a fun time. Historically, hard drinking was commonplace, easing hard labour (and lives), and considered normal. As ever, moderation is the key and we are now told … ER -