In our past posts, we have seen how Adolphus Busch invested in Dallas beginning with the Oriental Hotel, followed by the Adolphus and finally, the Busch-Kirby Building.
Adolphus Busch’s empire was fully supported by trains and rail lines. Busch was extremely innovative with the use of refrigerated train cars to ship his beer, fresh, anywhere in the US. But, Bush himself also traveled by private (and posh) rail car.
So, it is no surprise that he would make a malt ‘tonic’ beverage that he sold aboard trains as a means to calm a person’s stomach. The Malt-Nutrine ‘tonic’ was also pushed in ladies’ magazines as a great restorative for worn out mothers and their babies. It was especially targeted at breast feeding mothers as a way to get a good night’s sleep. As Malt-Nutrine also contained 2% alcohol, it is no wonder that mothers and their babies were knocked out for the night after a few ‘tonics’.
Questionably fun fact: a popular treatment for children with typhus at this time (1895) was 3.5 ounces of straight whiskey. That is more than two full shots of whiskey – for a child. And if the child didn’t show improvement? Up the dosage. That 2% alcohol Malt-Nutrine is looking downright nutritious comparatively.
Are you over 21 and enjoy a ‘tonic’? Set up a tour of the Garland Square where you are encouraged to bring a beer along from a local establishment.
