Evening star., 1951-12-05
Alcoholic Clinic Tries Hard, but Problem Grows Daily

] 0IOWS DuIIy|
The reaction was terrific. They
became sick, had to say good-by
quickly and get out. When they
compared notes, they realized they
had an anti-alcohol drug effective
several days after dosage. Eme-
tine hydrochloride, the drug for
merly used. was effective only at
the time it was swallowed. The
practice was to mix it with
whisky to build up an aversion
to the drink-a conditioned reflex.
DR.. Saul Zuckerman, Jail physi-
clan, has been giving the drug to
inmates of the workhouse who are
recommended for the treatment
by the alcoholic clinic. All volun-
teer for the dosage.
They started the treatments on
April II of this year. Since then,
1873 have been treated. Thirty-eight
have returned since, but the rate
of their return has been slowed
down considerably from the usual
performance. And Is who took the
drug in the spring and summer
who have had plenty of time to
return-have not come back.
The drug is not cure for alco-
| hOliSm. It enforceS Sobriety for a
time. 1t is considered an aid to
psychotherapy.
The staff of the clinic does not
like to think the agency's function
is primarily. the substitution of
medical and scientific treatment
for jail sentences, as outlined in
Section l of the act creating it.
They prefer to think of it as a
public health agency. ready to
help all who come to it volun.
tarily.
Difficulty in Statistics.
They work hard. and they like
their work. but they do not like
the preparation of statistics to
Justify the agency's existence
They are more likely to tell you
the story of a man who has been
helped and say, How are you 60
ing to make statistic out OF
him?"
\ The clinic has not done well in
the matter of public relations
A citizens advisory board was
created by the act to help them
in this. DR.. Wexberg has been in
J. vited to attend their meetings
but he has always had other en-
Igagements. The committee tried
to keep the clinic out of the
Health Department and it's Bu-
Ireau of Mental Hygiene before it
Twas established, and DR.. Wexberg
was head of the bureau. In the
lend, DR.. Wexberg was named di-
lrector Of the clinic as well.
| It's small matter, but as one
lpatient of the clinic pointed out,
in the telephone directory you
j Ihave to look under District
IGovernment." then Health De-
apartment" then Mental Hy-
lgiene" to find the listing of the
:. lalcoholic clinic. When you scar
1.-THE A columns of the telephone
lbook, you do not find the clinic
but several listings for Alcoholic
: Anonymous groups. They fine
them very helpful.
4 The clinic has not been yer.
!, successful in its relations Will
Municipal Court. Only two of tn
: judges. Judge Walter Casey, VIII,
: has been i'll of late. and Judg,
Nadine Gallagher. are interested
lin the clinic. All the judges ar.
interested in the AA. They havt
|, been sold" on the program. With
: 900 members in the area, all oil
the alcoholics, all on the wagor
with an occasional slip on ths
fringe). and all of them willing
to help the alcoholic who wants
to quit drinking. the AA groups
1seem to be the most effective force
brought to bear on the problem.
Liaison Misfires.
Liaison with the court is moi
: effective. An old Marine, who hae
been taking as large a dosage oi
] Ipsychotherapy as he was capable
of absorbing. was doing fine II
the opinion of his psychologist al
the clinic. He had job as /.
S gardener. After six months, hi
had a slip and was given go days
The judge never asked the clinic
how he was doing. He Just looked
: at the old record.
: ut took a lot of psychotherap,
to get him over that humiliation.
5 said the psychologists, "but he's
| back at the same job again"
: The clinic is spending $100,00t
|, a year-$75 900 from a 10 pei
cent increase on liquor license.
land $25,000 from a backlog thai
accumulated before it was set up
That's a lot of money. But per.
= haps the work of the clinic shoule
lInot be measured by budgets anc
t statistics but in the Good Shep.
: herds joy in whatever lost sheer