It was also a different world back then. Drinking and smoking weren't stigmatized like they are now and there were fewer OTC drugs to medicate aches and pains.

It was also a different world back then. Drinking and smoking weren't stigmatized like they are now and there were fewer OTC drugs to medicate aches and pains. People with physically demanding jobs routinely had a beer at the pub on the way home to ease their aches and help them sleep and it wasn't anything you needed to explain or justify.