"Rubbing alcohol was the only alcohol allowed on a train. It is drinkable (unlike methyl (wood) alcohol) but causes considerable loosening of the lower tract."
'Fraid I must respectfully disagree - rubbing alcohol is NOT drinkable unless one wants to lose his vision permanently or worse, become deceased. It's isopropyl alcohol, and the kind we buy at the store in 70% or 91% concentration and usually keep in the bathroom as an antiseptic.
The drinkable form is ethyl alcohol, and it's what's found in the kinds of beverages you mentioned.