How did PB Start?
PB was started in 1878 by Henry Nurse III, a Welsh aristocrat and then-Louche Boozer whose name gave rise the the movements catchcry: Nurse the Third! Nurse founded PB in an effort to help others like himself, who suffered boozers remorse and dreadful hangovers induced by bacchanalian excess. PB grew with the formation of autonomous groups, which spread gradually from Great Britain to Europe, then to the Americas and beyond.

If PB is a Secret Society, Why Have a Website?
PB membership has dwindled so dramatically that the movement is, frankly, on its last legs. An executive decision was therefore made by the Nurse Family Trust to engage the services of the Ministry of Culture in an effort to reveal and promote the movement. It is hoped that this initiative will serve to actively recruit new members. Our intention is to SAVE PB.

How Many Prudent Boozers Are There?
Between 1880 and 1920 it was estimated that over 100,000 PB chapters were formed and joined by close to a million members in 50+ countries. In 1932 the then-fledgling film actor Cary Grant co-founded a Hollywood chapter that drew filmdom's finest into the fold. Many credit PB with nurturing the élan oft associated with Hollywood's golden years. Post-1960, the Hippy Revolution drew attention away from cocktail culture, focusing on more exotic pleasures. Since that time the public's appetite for excess in general has grown exponentially, and today the very notion of prudent behavior is seen as fusty and passé. Consequently, PB membership has reached an all-time low, such that PB customs and history are being forgotten altogether.

Who is PB Affiliated With?
PB is unaffiliated with any religious, political or corporate entity and neither endorses nor opposes any causes.

How do PB Members Maintain Moderation?
Members simply follow the Four Floor Program - Savour the First, Sip the Second, Nurse the Third, and Skip the Fourth - one day at a time. This practice is maintained through sharing a tipple and a good yarn, booze-related or otherwise, at informal meetings held in bars, restaurants and private homes around the world.

What If I Cannot Nurse the Third?
PB is not for everyone. There are excellent alternative programs for those who find they cannot resist the lure of the Fourth Floor. Ask your doctor if PB is right for you.

How Can I Start A PB Chapter?
Identify friends and acquaintances who wish to moderate their boozing. Instruct them to visit this site and join if the program holds appeal. Then suggest gathering in a bar or restaurant for a bit of a chin-wag and a tipple.

How Does one Organize a PB Meeting?
Organizing an informal PB meeting could not be simpler:
1) Invite friends or colleagues to meet at a bar, restaurant or private home
2) Engage in lively conversation
3) Be sure to Nurse the Third
Optional: Propose a toast: "To Henry!"
Instructions for hosting a formal PB meeting can be downloaded free by clicking HERE.

What Might I Expect at a PB Meeting?
Zingers, japes and active listening are hallmarks of a PB meeting.

Who May Attend PB Meetings?
Anyone may attend PB meetings before deciding whether to join. Meetings usually consist of informal discourse and storytelling, board games, snacks or dining, and optional booze. Some meetings are held for the specific purpose of informing the non-PB public about PB. On such occasions, louche boozers, members of the clergy and public officials are invited.

What Is the Average PB Member Like?
YouTube features a host of interviews with current PB members from around the world. You can meet them by copying and pasting the following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/PrudentBoozers

Does The Size Of The Glass Matter?
Indeed it does, as does the strength of the booze. It is one thing to nurse your third ale, but quite another to nurse your third triple scotch. Suffice to say there is an honor system at work here and cheats never prosper.

Must I Always Order Three?
Certainly not! You may nurse the first or second; the choice is yours. You may, in fact, abstain from boozing altogether and remain a PB member, so long as you are of the mind that, were you to partake, even though you don't, you would no doubt Nurse the Third!

May I Nurse the Third Twice in One Day?
Good heavens, no! You may nurse the third only once in the course of a day, regardless of the time that elapses in between, or the number of functions you attend.

May I Nurse the Third and Drive?
YOU ABSOLUTELY MAY NOT! That would represent the anthithesis of prudence.

How Can I Tell If Someone I Meet is a PB Member?
Discreetly ask, "Are you a friend of Henry's?" If the person answers "No" or "Henry who?", they are not a member of PB and may be a Louche Boozer. Be sociable in good faith until wisdom prevails.

What If My Companions Object to My Prudence?
Tell them you couldn't give a row of beans and to go fry an egg.

May I Perform a PB Intervention?
While such practices are said to exist, we neither sanction nor support PB interventions.

What If I Fall Off The PB Wagon?
Dust yourself off and hop back on!

Is PB where the phrase "nursing a drink" comes from?
Indupetably.