THE DOCTORS OPINION IS SUCH A PROFOUND CHAPTER IN THE BIG BOOK. A WELL KNOWN DOCTOR WILLIAM SILKWORTH WHO SPECIALIZES IN ALCOHOLISM AND ADDICTION HAS TREATED MANY CASES AND HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING ELSE WORK IN THESE SEEMINGLY HOPELESS CASES OTHER THAN THE PROGRAM OF ALCOHOLICS ANNONYMOUS. IN HIS LETTER HE STATES THAT HE HAD A PATIENT HE HAD COME TO REGARD AS HOPELESS. HE WAS IN HIS 3RD TREATMENT WHEN HE PRESENTED THIS MEANS OF RECOVERY TO THE DOCTOR. HE COMMENCED TO PRESENT HIS CONCEPTIONS TO OTHER ALCOHOLCS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY MUST DO LIKEWISE WITH OTHERS. IT BECAME A RAPIDLY GROWING FELLOWSHIP OF THESE MEN AND FAMILIES. OVER 100 OTHERS APPEARED TO BE RECOVERED. HE SAID HE KNEW SCORES OF CASES WHO HAD FAILED WITH OTHER METHODS. HE ENLARGED UPON HIS VIEWS AND STATES THAT WE WHO HAVE SUFFERED ALCOHOLIC TORTURE MUST BELIEVE THAT THE BODY OF THE ALCOHOLIC IS QUITE AS ABNORMAL AS HIS MIND.
IT DID NOT SATISFY US TO BE TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT CONTROL OUR DRINKING JUST BECAUSE WE WERE MALADJUSTED TO LIFE, THAT WE WERE IN FULL FLIGHT FROM REALITY, OR WE WERE OUTRIGHT MENTAL DEFECTIVES. THE DOCTORS THEORY THAT WE HAVE AN ALLERGY TO ALCOHOL INTERESTS US. THE ACTION OF ALCOHOL ON THESE CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS IS A MANIFESTATION OF AN ALLERGY; THAT THE PHENOMENON OF CRAVING IS LIMITED TO THIS CLASS AND NEVER OCCURS IN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATE DRINKER.
FROTHY EMOTIONAL APPEAL SELDOM SUFFICES. THE MESSAGE WHICH CAN INTEREST AND HOLD THESE ALCOHOLIC PEOPLE MUST HAVE DEPTH AND WEIGHT. IN NEARLY ALL CASES,