Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-01
TubercuIor Alcoholics
Project Planned Here

An operation to deal with the
problem Of the large percent
age Of tubercular patients who
also suffer from alcoholism is
taking shape in the Washing
ton area.
Initiated this last spring, the
plan may have national impli-
cations. Glenn Dale Tubercu-
loSis Sanatorium is the pro-
posed scene Of the program.
The Washington Area Coun-
Gil on Alcoholism's Project
Advisory Committee-made up
of physicians, sociologists and
lcitizens-hit upon the Glenn
Dale idea as the first of q
number Of expected enterprises
in the field Of alcoholism.
Taking part in the operation,
which is hoped to be set in
motion on a crash" basis
soon, will be governmental
agencies dealing with the
problem of alcoholism, volun-
teer physicians, Alcoholics
Anonymous, the District
tuberculosis Association, and
other community groups.
Steps Outlined
Establishment of q "thera-
peutic community" - modelled
after the Jones Program in
Operation at Sutton, Surrey
County, England-is a salient
phase of the proposed plan.
Another step is the creation of
q halfway house" to handle
the critical period in the lives
Of arrested cases who are alco-
holics and are seeking to flt
back into normal life.
Training Of q team Of doc
tors, nurses and technicians is
another aspect Of the plan.
Continuous contact with Al
coholics Anonymous, in the
Therapeutic community" and
after discharge from hospital,
is q further detail.
The objective is the solution
Of the problems Of those who
suffer with both alcoholism and
tuberculosis. Many thousands
of dollars in taxpayers money
can be saved through reduction
lin repeated disqualification Of
tuberculars who suffer relapSes
because of the impact Of al
coholic sprees.
John Rosenblatt. who became
Director of Rehabilition for the
District Tuberculosis Associa-
ton last March, seems to have
triggered the project.
Drink Big Problem
Mr.. Rosenblatt, q 30-year-olo
graduate Of American Univer-
sity, who attended Ohio Stats
University and who studied fol
more than q year in social
psychology at Hebrew Univer-
sity in Jerusalem, learned soor
after taking over his new jot
that at least 40 per cent Of the
male patients at Glenn Dale
Tuberculosis Sanatorium were
diagnosed as active alcoholics
From 10 to 20 per cent of the
women patients were and are
also considered alcoholics
There are now approximately
$50 male patients at Glenn
Dale and about $50 womer
patients.
The Washington Area Coun-
Gil on Alcoholism Board Of Di.
rectors, which had been form
ing q project advisory COM
mittee to work on q number Of
detectives in the alcoholism
field, selected the problem Of
the alcoholic tubercular patient
as its first project.
The advisory committee il
composed Of Mr.. Rosenblatt
chairman; DR.. X. Albert Har.
den, professor of medicine al
Howard University; DR.. Johr
D. Schultz, chief psychiatrist Of
District General Hospital pSy.
chiatry section; DR.. John Meme.
trez. newly appointed director
of Alcoholic Rehabilitation
Service Of the District Health
Department; Russell T. Tran
sue, acting executive director
of the council; DR.. Moe Weiss
head Of the Glenn Dale Sana.
forum; DR.. John F. Gibson
DR.. Anthony zappala. former
head of the District Alcoholic
Rehabilitation Clinic, and DR.
Earl Mitchell, chairman Of tn,
District Medical Society's Alec.
holism Subcommittee.
DR.. zappala has volunteered
to take part in supervising al
intensive program of training
nurses, psychologists, attend
ants and social workers in TIT
special methods Of handling al
coholics needed at Glenn Dale
These would become the stat