Sterno was developed around 1900 for use in catering to keep chafing dishes warm. The product sold in little cans received the nickname of “canned heat.” It was popular with soldiers during World War I to heat their meals.
Then came along Prohibition. One of the ingredients of canned heat is methyl alcohol, than can be deadly if ingested. This did not stop individuals straining canned heat with a cheesecloth to extract the alcohol. It was not only a nation wide crisis, but a local one as well. In March 1926 the deaths of John Murphy and Pete Nelson were attributed to the consumption of canned heat. It took local officials over a year to curb the usage of this product. In the fall of 1927 both the City of Susanville and the County of Lassen passed ordinances requiring that dealers of canned heat obtain a special license to sell it. The license cost dealers $50 per quarter. It was presumed that by making the special license so high, it would eliminate the product from the shelves. It worked and canned heat was no long a problem locally.