Heightened Hope for Alcoholics America’s Chronic Drunkards, Once Shunned as Social Outcasts, Are Being Redeemed by New, Humane Treatment That Restores Them to Health and Respectability

By Austen Lake

A new sun is dawning for America’s It works as many thousands of “exestimated 900,000 alcoholics-a sun of public incurables” can attest. intelligence which radiates from the Yale Clinic Rehabilitated “drunkards” once deemed Plan. The American Weekly printed the first hopeless have become the Yale Plan’s most comprehensive, authoritative report on the Yale enthusiastic workers in redeeming other Plan in February 1945, and since that time use members of the ancient fellowship of the uptilted of the new method has been spreading. bottle. As yet the dawn is in its early shell-pink, Ten years ago Dr. Howard W. Haggard but its light has already touched 12 U.S. cities was investigating the effects of noxious gases and nine states. on the human system in his laboratory at Yale. ln Boston, the chronic drunkard is He was familiar with the reaction of such poison regarded as a sick man, whose disease is a vapors as diphosgene, which clogs the involuntary and consuming as infantile paralysis respiratory glands. He know that Lewisite or malaria. corrodes the mucous membranes and sears the ln New Haven, Dallas, Des Moines, flesh. Chlorpicrin swells the eyeballs and causes Daytona Beach and Rochester, N.Y., the nausea. alcoholic is treated with the same dignity as any So he came to pure grain alcohol, which invalid. in repeated dosages over a long period also ln Fort Worth, Austin, Pittsburgh, reacts as a noxious gas, and after years of Youngstown, Washington, D.C., and Charleston, excessive drinking causes vitamin deficiency, addicts are sympathetically screened through mild paranoia, hallucinosis and depressive social and medical centers and helped back to psychosis. normal. A Yale biometrician, Dr. E.M. Jellinek, As yet the light is a candle flicker in the was already engaged in alcohol research, and century-old gloom of prejudice. But it is still together they attacked the mystery. They growing brighter. The Yale Plan was its kindling wanted answers to such riddles as. “When does point. Charles Jackson’s memorable book, “The the use of alcohol become excessive?” “What Lost Weekend,” and the movie made from it, does it do to the human system?” “Why are made a tremendous impact on national some drinkers more allergic than others?” consciousness. The expansion of Alcoholics For five years they assembled their data Anonymous has been a profound educational from across the nation, and by 1940 they found factor. The American press has given the that of an estimated 50,000,000 drinkers, all but subject more attention since 1940 than during a small percentage of them used alcohol the entire preceding centurY. moderately and only for the purpose of social The Yale Clinic Plan was conceived ten relaxation. years ago by a New Haven scientist, who Three million people were “excessive” approached alcoholism not as a temperance drinkers, who like to go out on fraternal binges zealot, but as a skilled specialist seeking a periodically, and get out of control, but at other preventive formula. times took their drams temperately or not at all.

But of this number approximately 2,000,000 jail. Fines and terms to the county farm fail to were potential threats, in danger of crossing the reform. Tongue lashings and threats are futile. thin, wavering line of self abandon. “You’ve been here many times,” she Lastly there were about 900,000 liquor says. “you tell me you want to quit, but don’t addicts, or habitual alcoholics who drink for know how. l’ll give you the chance. Your various reasons and in different ways, but to sentence is suspended, if you agree to keep whom alcohol is a principal reason for living. your regular appointments at the Alcoholic They were folk who could not adjust themselves Clinic, and do as they say.” to a world of reality and used drink to escape The alcoholic at first is fearful lest he be into a shadowy twilight. They had crossed the made an experimental guinea pig for some borderline of normality and had become strange purpose. But rather than go to jail, he diseased. consents, and is taken to 434 Temple Street, Thus the Yale Clinic found that a ratio of where he finds a brick building and a neat, well nearly one in every 40 adult Americans were lighted interior. He is greeted by a cheerful girl either confirmed addicts or potentials, at receptionist, who ushers him into an inner office appalling cost to the nation’s economy. Male where an alert, calm mannered man in a white alcoholics vastly outnumbered women. Of the coat begins to chat quietly. total arrested drunkards, 97 percent were men The alcoholic is put at ease and between the ages of 30 and 60 – the age peak encouraged to talk. Like most of his kind he has of production. Racially, the lrish, English and known years of loneliness, bitter self-reproach, Scandinavian were more susceptible than Jews despair and self-condemnation. He has and Latins. developed a persecution complex and drinks in The clinic found that, contrarY to proportion as his troubles mount. His wife has accepted opinion, alcohol does not act as a left him. He cannot hold a job. He is out of stimulant, but actually is a depressant to the control. higher brain centers, as reason yields to emotion. But now for the first time he finds himself At what stage does a man become treated sympathetically as a sick man instead of drunk? sharp rebuke and rough handling. He responds A third New Haven doctor had the and begins to talk. answer to that. Dr. Leon A. Greenberg invented The Clinic learns that he is in need of a machine which resembles a large portable high vitamin therapy due to prolonged radio, with a nozzle in one side, into which the dependency on alcohol instead of food. Pure patient breathes and reveals the alcoholic alcohol contains 210 calories per ounce by content in his bloodstream. A dial like an weight, but provides no vitamins and even automobile speedometer registers the impedes absorption of vitamins from food. A percentage – a .05 saturation being reasonably further checkup shows intestinal inflammations. sober,.15 being genuinely intoxicated. The He needs a balanced diet, rest and security. So amount of alcohol that the average size man can he is hospitalized, the cost being paid out of the absorb depends on how much food he has in his 9 per cent which Connecticut takes from its stomach, how long he took to drink the amount, liquor taxes and earmarks for treating and what his natural allergY is. alcoholism. The Yale Plan is no sawdust trail to The Yale Clinic finds that the man also salvation. lt dovetails realistically with the local has several deep-seated fears. A psychiatrist police, the district courts, social agencies, helps him to get rid of these. He requires medical centers and Alcoholics Anonymous. counsel, supervision and encouragement from Thus a sample case in New Haven today is any trusted friends. The Clinic calls the local chapter chronic drunkard brought before a court. of Alcoholics Anonymous and finds him From long experience the judge knows sympathetic, helpful fellowship from folk who that it does no good to throw the inebriate into thoroughly understand his problem. As he is now, so they were. He gets a job, however

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significant, and begins to feel a new pride in his “Was given short period hospitalization, capabilities. and after treatment from psychiatrists, fears It works! Not always, but he has a 60-40 dissolved. Faithful visitor. Has been totally chance of recovery! abstinent since first appearance at CEA. Has Some backslide and try again. Some fail adjusted home life and accepted allergy to utterly. But the majority win back to total health, alcohol.” are reconciled with their families and become Here is another index card: successful citizens again. lt works! “Miss R.M. Factory worker, arrested 7 Though the Yale Plan is now operative in times for drunkenness. Referred to CEA by 11 other cities and nine states, Connecticut is courts. Placed in contact with Alcoholics the only state which has modern, intelligent Anonymous and met regularly with members. alcohol legislation. lt earmarks a percentage of First three months had trouble with adjusting self its liquor taxes for rehabilitation. to A.A. program, but persistence of members Elsewhere in the above mentioned cities, finally convinced her of practical value of such the Clinic Plan operates under the Committee help. Now has been totally abstinent for two for Education on Alcoholism or the CEA, and months.” depends on public spirited citizens who solicit Next to unenlightened public opinion, say aid and needed funds and distribute printed the Yale Planners, the most serious barrier to matter. intelligent treatment of alcoholism is the ln Boston, among the most energetic prejudice in many hospitals, which don’t cities in the campaign, the CEA has welcome alcoholics and regard them as headquarters at 419 Boylston Street, a few pernicious nuisances. doors above the offices of Alcoholics Alcoholic hospitals are needed, the Yale Anonymous, and functions through public Planners say, and should be provided from subscription and a large list of judges, doctors, taxpayers’ funds in the assumption that the psychiatrists, clergymen, educators, social taxpayers are the most immediate beneficiaries. workers, law enforcement officers and business folk. For more than a yeat the old brownstone Yet oddly, rehabilitated alcoholics, such building has received a steady stream of as are found in Alcoholics Anonymous, rarely alcoholics. Some come voluntary. Some are advocate national return to prohibition. They sent by the courts, some by clergymen. frankly acknowledge that they are among the By sifting through the index files of the unfortunate minority who cannot handle drink in Boston, CEA, one finds entries such as these: moderation. “Mr. H.Y. Married, 2 children, owner The solution is Public enlightensmall business, quiet, slightly morbid type. ment, intelligent control, and sympathetic regard Expressed great fear of inherited nervousness for the alcoholic as a sick man, instead of a from neurotic mother. Wife too inclined to minor criminal and social renegade. The same neurosis. Became periodic “binge” drinker with light has been kindled and its beam is binges running closer together till they merged. spreading.

Source: The American Weekly, October 27, 1946

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