The History of Alcohol Treatment

From Native American gatherings in the 1700s to multi-million dollar rehabilitation centers, the concept of treatment for alcoholism has experienced a widely varied history. But it really took off after a chance meeting in Akron, Ohio, in 1935.

Colonial Times

• In his book "Slaying the Dragon," William White writes "Our first evidence of individuals turning their own negative experiences with alcohol into a social movement of mutual support occurs within Native American tribes." That was reportedly as early as 1772.

  A 1990 United States Congressional study called Broadening the Base of Treatment for Alcohol Problems credits Dr. Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia, the surgeon general of the Continental Army and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, with originating the concept of treatment for alcoholism. The study, written by the United States Institute of Medicine, says that in 1785, Rush published a work that suggested alcoholism was a disorder that should be treated. The idea of viewing alcoholism as a "disease" was a radical approach, and his theories were largely ignored by citizens in Colonial America.

  "Nevertheless, some interest in therapeutics did exist," wrote the Congressional committee. "The Washingtonian Movement, which flourished between 1840 and 1860, was initiated by and directed at heavy drinkers."

Washingtonians

• "The Washingtonians" were founded in a Baltimore bar in 1840. It was a secular society that stayed away from any association with spirituality or God as a recovery tool. Still, it was an important stepping stone in the history of alcohol treatment as the group pioneered some of the techniques that would become a part of future movements like Alcoholics Anonymous. But the Washingtonians were disorganized and disintegrated quickly.

Disease Acceptance

• By the 1870s, the first sanitariums for "inebriates" had begun to appear. Slowly, the prospect of treating alcoholism as a medical condition gained slight acceptance. In 1870, a group of physicians formed the "American Association for the Cure of Inebriates" and published a decree stating "intemperance is a disease."

Alcoholics Anonymous

• Alcoholics Anonymous began its ascent on June 10, 1935. That's the date that an Akron, Ohio, physician, Dr. Bob Smith, had his final drink. Only weeks before, Smith had met a New York City stockbroker named Bill Wilson, an alcoholic who'd spent years trying to find a cure for his illness. Wilson had been sober for several months and explained to Smith the basics of the spiritual program he'd used for recovery. Slowly, over the next few years, the basics tenets of what would eventually be known as AA materialized. Working together, Wilson and Smith framed the "The Twelve Steps" of recovery from alcoholism. In 1939, the fledgling society published the book "Alcoholics Anonymous," and the movement's membership skyrocketed.

Hospital Treatment

• Sister Ignatia Gavin, head of admissions at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, began surreptitiously admitting alcoholics for medical treatment in her facility. Without the knowledge of higher-ups, who still considered alcoholism a moral issue rather than a medical one, Sister Ignatia and Dr. Bob Smith nearly single-handedly built the model of hospital treatment for alcoholism that is still adhered to today. Eventually, she received permission from St. Thomas and Catholic church officials to open the first-ever hospital ward for alcoholics. In 1952, she was transferred to St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland and established a second treatment facility, Rosary Hall, further refining the mix of medical care, spirituality and Alcoholics Anonymous that is a standard treatment method today.