Tony --
    There's a nice article by Harrison Trice and Paul Roman from the 1970s, I think, on how it can serve the interests of those immediately beneath the boss to keep him well supplied with drink.  A version of this dynamic was playing out around Howard Hughes in his last days.  Paul Roman also did some surveys on the drinking habits of business executives -- I'm forwarding this to him in case he wants to comment.
    At a more plebeian level, Martin Plant did a longitudinal study of brewery workers, a book also in the 1970s, I think, looking at whether they were heavy drinkers because heavy drinkers selectively recruited themselves into the job, or because the job made them into heavy drinkers. He found a little of each dynamic going on.  Restaurant and bar workers have very high cirrhosis mortality rates, presumably reflecting their access to alcohol.  I would think the Managing Director of Findlaters would have excellent access, and could supply the drinks for any drinking buddies, too. 
     Another name to look for in searching a database like ETOH is Genevieve Ames, an anthropologist who has done studies on alcohol and the workplace.  
    For the prehistory of alcohol and workplace, with special reference to Ireland, see Richard Stivers' A Hair of the Dog, a book from the early 1970s.  Robin Room


-----Original Message-----
From: David Fahey <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: den 30 mars 2000 18:42
Subject: mixing business and alcohol


>>Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 17:00:13 +0100
>>From: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Social History of Alcohol
>>To: [log in to unmask]
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>>
>>I am working as editor on a major study of an Irish importer/wholesaler of
>>whiskey and wine called Findlaters and came across an issue or two of your
>>journal. The topic interested me specifically since the penultimate Managing
>>Director of the firm (1938-62) basically drank himself to death (starting it
>>is thought after the death of his 10 year old daughter in 1944). He became a
>>two bottles of gin man.
>>The interesting thing is that he never had trouble finding people
>>(fellowbusinessmen) to drink with. Almost a culture of alcohol. Is there
>>anything on this almost suicidal mix of business and alcohol that might
>>illuminate this sad story?
>>
>>Tony Farmar
>>