I was wondering, when the causality between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the occurrence of certain birth defects in infants (Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, FASD) was discovered. And how society was affected by FASD before public awareness changed the behavior of many.
Not to discourage further discussion, but you might be interested in this previous answer from u/Gadarn:
Not exactly an answer to your question but a caveat as a Neuropsychologist. FASD is a Spectrum disorder and contrary to popular belief is not always easily classifiable based on facial features alone. See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4188550/#!po=3.73134
As a result a lot of people with FASD are not easily detectable despite global deficits especially with so much overlap with other disorders and conditions. See: http://come-over.to/FAS/PDF/OverlappingCharacteristics.pdf
Our ability to detect FASD and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) has improved dramatically over the last ten to twenty years. The tools we use today include: Psychological batteries to detect Central Nervous System effects; computerized scanning tech to determine facial abnormalities; and clinical diagnostic labels we use today invented in 1973.
However, virtually none of this was known 100 years ago. So getting a prevalence number will be challenging and will almost certainly be an under estimate.
I'm curious to know if any one has tried to reconstruct population effects of drinking. Unfortunately what we know today is that even one single drink in pregnancy (especially early on) can result in FAE. I say this not to worry pregnant mothers or to judge, merely to point out that it is not just binge drinkers (most easy to identify retrospectively) that would be bearing children with FASD and FAE.