Detroit evening times., 1945-10-14

w cal and social problems Their II
number is tragically on the rise. Also E5
their excessive drinking is having a scar E5
ring effect on their minds their bodies E
and their way of life-much more than E
1t has with men. rs
Furthermore many doctors and psy-
biologists are Of the opinion that women -
addcts are harder to cure of the drink
ing habit than men -
Some medical men even declare that
women inebriates are incurable -
But women can be healed of drink.
inO-that is If they want to be healed
But 10 do so the basic maladjustment in -
their nature which has caused their drink 80
ing must be uncovered and overcome a.
This is being done in a growing number
OF cases.
According to the most reliable figures, the ratio
OF women alcoholics compared to men alcoholics
over the country as a whole, has increased from
one woman TO 25 men of 20 years ago to one to
SIX as OF today In larger cities the increase is
even more disturbing.
12-year survey made by DR.. D. B. Rotman,
director OF the Psychiaric Institute of the Munic-
ipal Court in Chicago, dscloses that the ratio be-
tween women and men drunkards appearing before
two in 1943
Related figures for a prolonged period in New
York City are not available. But Bellevue Hospital
reports that the ratio for alcoholics treated there
in l943 and 1914 was one woman to every four men
In San Francisco, during the past decade when the
annual average of drunkards brought to court aten-
ton was 10000, there has been a gradual rise Of
women offenders from one per cent up to the
present high of eight per cent
This startling increase has various causes Lone.
illness and boredom have become more acute and
widespread than even before, because so many men
are far away from home. Greater earning power
has given more women the desire TO have a good
time on their own money Additional responsible
ltes and worries have created the tendency TO
escape them through exciting outlets. The growing
anxiety over a possible future insecurity has en-
gendered the need TO forget about it,
According TO DR.. Rotman, the equality status of
women is another compelling factor in their ten
dency toward alcoholism No longer is there either
a
liquor, In private or in public Truth is not few
women have taken to drink in their effort to keep
up with their men.
Another eminent psychiatrist of the same mind
as Dr. hoffman cites, as an example, the case of
Kate and Anna Born in the same neghborhood in
mdwestern city, they went through the same
grammar and high schools and the same college
Having made up their minds that they were to be
career career women who would lead their own lives
they stayed around home only long enough to earn
sufficient money to take them to New York
Neither was the sort would expect TO make
mess of her life. They came from good middle
class families. They drank very lttle-a glass of
beer now and then, a glass or two of spiked
punch at class prom. But the type of sophisti-
10 be on equal drinking terms.
Under the influence of their numerous drinks
Kate and Anna often became hilarious and unman.
ageable' Their mornings after" were pretty un-
happy. AS result of frequent absence from their
jobs they soon became migratory workers. fitting
from one office to another and each time going a
bit farther down the scale of pay and vocation
Three years have gone by Kate and Anna are
now in their middle twentes Kate is expecting a
child she does not want She tells her doctor that
she has husband but is vague about his name and
whereabouts. She keeps herself under the influ.
ence of liquor and does not wish stop drinking as
she says gin keeps her from thinking
Anna has contracted malady which necesSi.
tates an operation that will make il impossible for
her TO bear children. For her, however there is
some hope, as she is undergoing psychatric treat
ment and has not had drink for several months
Scientifically speaking, there is no fundamental
difference between men and women inebriates in
the cause and course of alcoholism disease. But
n October II, 1915