My cardiologist told me not to drink anything in soda pop that was brown, caffeinated or not, diet or not! I looked it up and it seems the caramel color does something not good for you. So I drink the occasional Fresca, Sprite or ginger ale. The only time I allow myself a Coke or Dr. Pepper is on a trip where it can be hard to get a diet fountain drink in anything else.
Back in the 1940’s most graduated high school at 16-17. I’m not certain when that changed, but likely by the early ’60’s at latest. I graduated 18-nearly 19 in 1973. Some of the old girls’ dormitory rules (be in no later than 10:00 on week-day nights, 11:00 weekends; boys had no cerfew) were because the still children (adulthood at 21 back then) needed" protecting".
The Romans added a small amount to water to kill some bacteria.