Prevention is always better than cure.
As far as can be determined, this beverage consisted of sugar, a bitter aperitif, lemon juice, beer and pure alcohol. The original Punch, which soon took on many forms, became popular throughout Europe. It is likely that the largest, if not necessarily the best, punch ever brewed was made in 1599 by the Commander of the British Fleet. The punch was served by young boys in small rowboats, adrift on the sea of punch, to 6,000 guests. By the 19th century, punch had become more sophisticated, and people were concerned as much with its taste as with its ability to intoxicate.