Bread rolls and painkillers for breakfast

DSotW · May 17, 2026

Instances of kidney disease spiked in the Jura mountains during the 1960s. This was the legacy of the local watchmakers’ decades-long penchant for painkillers.

A very interesting read about the human cost of making Swiss watches before the Quartz Crisis :

https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/en/2026/05/bread-rolls-and-painkillers-for-breakfast/

TimeODanaos · May 17, 2026

Thanks - that's quite an eye opener!

SOG53 · May 17, 2026

Very interesting article. Phenacetin , although banned, still appears as an ingredient cut with illicit street drugs and can cause kidney damage in that setting.
Modern pain killers in NSAID class (nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen can also cause kidney damage, especially taken regularly and in high doses, and are common cause of kidney failure today.
Many people are unaware of this. Just FYI

CalgaryJim · May 18, 2026

Very interesting and as the article says, not really a surprise, I had often wondered about what kind of toll the work involved, then and now.

I wonder why watch manufacturers conveniently leave this out in their rosy depiction of their manufacturing heritage.

Bread rolls and painkillers for breakfast

DSotW

TimeODanaos

SOG53

CalgaryJim

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