Evening star., 1958-05-11
LAW IN THE NEWS
Commit
Alcoholics,
DoctorAsks
BY PHIL YEAGER
and JOHN STARK
apselal wrItsra ior Ths Doc

NluC out u Az hiIoHolCn
cannot be detected as such
other than by their families or
most intimate associates.
This Is the conclusion reached
BY Melvin L. Seller. psychia.
trist at the University Of Mich
igans department Of mental
hygiene. who emphasizes that
less than 10 per cent Of the
American alcoholics are the
"skid row" type Of panhandler
or the compulsive drinker who
commits crime under the In
luence OF alcohol.
The ability of the alcohol
addict 10 conceal his excessive
drinking is well documented,"
saws Or. Seller. "They learn to
drink quickly and silently with
a minimum Of activity after.
wards so as not to betray them
selves by clumsy motions or
slurred speech. Driving is usu-
ally avoided since this may
readily call attention to their
inebriety."
A Best Selling Example
Or. Seller quotes this pas
sage from Betty Smiths "A
Tree Grows In Brooklyn" as a
penetrating observation of the
camouflage employed by the
majority of alcoholics today:
'Francie got to know when
cher father was drinking more
than usual. He walked straight
er coming home. He walked
carefully and slightly sidewise.
When he was drunk, he was a
quiet man. He didn't brawl,
he didn't sing. he didn't grow
sentimental. He grew thought
full. People who didn't know
him thought that he was drunk
when be was sober because
sober. he was full Of song and
excitement. When he was
drunk, strangers looked on him
as a quiet, thoughtfta man
who minded his own business"
Since such a large proportion
Of alcoholics fall into this cate
CORY and since virtually none
Of them admits his drinking
or will agree to treatment VOL
unfairly, DR.. Seller recommends
in a recent study that State
laws be devised to cope with
the problem. This, he feels,
requires involuntary commit.
ment and treatment for alco-
holics other than the criminal
or skid-row type.
state laws regarding COM
mitment for uncomplicated al
coholism are inadequate or
-existent. Many States still
require evidence of pSychosis
before committing alcoholics,
a rather archaic approach since
1t implies that only far ad-
vanced cases will be consid-
cred for treatment. Courts
tend to commit only persons
who are called to their atten-
ton BY overtly obnoxious be-
havior. Without enforced COM
mitment and treatment, 1t is
safe to say that the bulk of
the alcoholic population will
remain alcoholic most or all of
their shortened lives"
Many Die Young
Alcoholism, DR.. Seller adds,
Is malignant. About 65 per
cent of the unobtrusive alco-
holics die between the ages of
35 and 80. He adds that
enforced treatment pioneered
in North Carolina and Michi-
gan hospitals indicates a suf-
fleiently high percentage of
rehabilitation-up to 40 per
cent or. better-to make the
procedure worthwhile.
THE alcoholics received very
little specific treatment other
then supportive pSychotherapy,
reinsurance, medical treatment
II they are i'll. an opportunity
to keep occupied and a period
Of time to discover that sobriety
was not a threat to their exist
ence. A period of sobriety is
essential for these individuals
to learn that they can handle
their alxieties without alcohol
---an important fact they may
never discover if a bottle can
be readily obtained. or If they
can desert the hospital at will"
According to DR.. Seller. psy-
chiatrists and public officials
gradually are acknowledging
the futility of efforts to re-
habilitate alcoholics without
some method Of enforcing an
initial period of abstinence and
therapy.
Current estimates of the
alcoholic population, according
to definitions used by psychia-
trists. are upward of as million.
Tuesday: Rocks thrown by cor
wheels.