What’s the Magic Painkiller in Alcohol?

Hollywood’s usual version of a death scene differs greatly from reality. But not when, in the old western movie, a cowboy is hit by an Indian arrow. He’s immediately handed a bottle of whisky, takes a few swigs of it, and the arrow is pulled out. The use of alcohol to decrease the effects of pain is as old as the fermentation process. But what’s the magic ingredient in alcohol that works so well? I decided to try and find out from scientific sources. Read on, too, for my latest experience with medical marijuana (cannabis). Trevor Thompson, professor at London, England’s Greenwich University, reports 18 different studies tested the reactions of over 400 people to evaluate the painkilling aspects of alcohol. They were exposed to cold, heat, and pressure, both with and without the influence of alcohol.