Running head: HISTORICAL INFLUENCES
Historical Influences on AODA Treatment
Elise J. Schmidt
MPTC Student
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Abstract
Treatment of substance abuse is a new idea in an old story. In the last two hundred years there
has been progress in the treatment of substance abuse and how the country views individuals
who struggle with addiction and abuse of these substances. There has been new ways to
approach alcoholism and other substances that are abused. The idea of viewing abusing
substances as a disease instead of a moral flaw has been an ongoing idea and has the research for
a cure if it is indeed a disease. Legislator has tried to help in resolving Americas’ problems with
substance abuse along with social support systems.
Keywords: inebriate, drunkards, addiction, disease
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Historical Influences on AODA Treatment
Substance use is a tale as old as time woven into the history of humans. Substance abuse
treatment in historical terms is a fairly new concept. Within in the last two hundred years there
have been the most advances in substance abuse treatment. The idea that alcoholism and other
addictions and abuses of substances is a disease rather than a moral flaw is another relatively
new idea as well; one we are still debating to this day.
First Inebriate Asylum
In 1864 the first inebriate asylum was opened in New York State (Crowley & White,
2004). Like any federal facility there were chain of events to the opening and closing to this
inebriate asylum. In 1858 it was founded and built in Binghamton, New York. Most of the credit
given to this facility opening is given to Dr. J. Edward Turner. Turner. The Inebriate Asylum was
the first of the kind and was originated on the theory that inebriety is a disease; such as insanity
(NYSAsylum, 2014). During this time in American history it was acceptable to pay taxes with
rum and whiskey. The water quality was poor in areas and European traditions of drinking were
brought over and continued by settlers but instead of beer Americans started drinking higher
alcoholic content drinks; such as whiskey leading to social issues (Davis, 1994).
On February 22, 1864 the first patients were admitted to the Inebriate Asylum and few
months later in September the North Wing had caught on fire. Later that month after patients had
already been there for months the Board of Trustees put forth Regulations and Rules for the
patients at the Asylum. The first regulation stated that all patients must be committed by the
Courts to stay at the Asylum for a year or sign a written contract and the second stated that all
patients must pay six months in advanced for their medical treatment and board. In all there were
twenty three Rules and Regulations made (NYSAsylum, 2014). In 1870 another fire was started
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within the Asylum that destroyed the East Wing, because of this the operation was suspended due
to the Asylum being renovated. In 1872 the Asylum reached its highest patient intake with a total
of 334 patients boarding there but by 1878 the number of patients had gradually declined to only
39 boarders (NYSAsylum, 2014). The next year on January 7th the Governor declared the
experiment of the inebriate asylum to be a failure and the building is then used to treat the
chronically insane (NYSAsylum, 2014).
Diesease1
As America grew the use of substances grew, especially alcohol. Anthony Benezet
noticed this and in 1774 wrote The Mighty Destroyer Displayed where he wrote that “dramdrinkers bound in slavery” and noted that the belief alcohol had health enhancing powers was
untrue that “it had bewitching powers” (Benezet, 1774). This is the first publication in American
history that looked at alcohol and the effects it was having on the population.
This publication was followed by another publication that is said to be the start of
America’s temperance movement; this publication was written in 1784 by Dr. Benjamin Rush
(Crowley & White, 2004). Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote Inquiry into the Effects of Ardent Spirits on
the Human Mind and Body. Within his Inquiry Rush confirms Benezet’s addictive and
progressive observations on alcohol, states that it is an “odious diseases”, a “disease induced by
vice”, and writes signs of drunkenness. Dr. Benjamin Rush also writes in the Inquiry that
heredity is a source of intemperance and that it should be recognized and treated by a physician
(Rush, 1816). This is the beginning of looking at substance abuse and addiction as a disease
instead of a moral character flaw.
In 1879 Dr. Leslie Keeley announces to America drunkenness is a disease and that he
himself can cure it. In a small wooden building in Illinois he opened the Keeley Institute. Keeley
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was challenged to cure seven drunkards from Chicago and turned them into gentleman.
Eventually Keeley had thought he had the cure for opium’s and alcohol. He claimed to have a
95% success rate but his critics thought it to be 50%. Keeley used what he called The Double
Chloride of Gold Remedies and his hypodermic treatments caused vomiting and were said to
painful. (Digger Odell Publications , 2009) Although he did not find a cure he is thought to have
an important role in substance abuse treatment.
Harrison Tax Act. In 1914 the United States Legislation was presented the Harrison Act.
This Acts intentions were to “provide for the registration of, with collectors of internal revenue,
and to impose a special tax on all persons who produce, import, manufacture, compound, deal in,
dispense, sell, distribute, or give away opium or coca leaves, their salts, derivatives, or
preparations, and for other purposes” (Brecher, 1979). Manufacturers, importers, pharmacists,
and physicians prescribing narcotics should be licensed with a fee according to this law
(Princeton, 2014). Through this act physicians could not prescribe addicts through prescription to
obtain opiates because it was not part of their professional practice since drug addiction was not
defined as a disease (Brecher, 1979).
Months after the law took effect in May 15th, 1915 the New York Medical Journal wrote
about how individuals were flooding into the hospitals some looking for the drugs and others
because of withdrawal symptoms. The journal also stated that citizens who would have normally
lived competent social lives were failing in careers, disrupting family happiness, and committing
crimes. Several months later the American Medicine reported negative reports of physicians and
pharmacist being afraid of doing their jobs and eliminated working with opiates entirely and
because of these negative publications in 1918 the Harrison Act was investigated and looked
into. After investigation Congress found that over a million Americans were using narcotics and
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opium, “underground traffic” was equal to medical, “dope peddlers” had established
organizations, and that wrongful use of narcotics had increased since the passing of the Act
(Brecher, 1979).
In 1924 the Harrison Act was tightened up not allowing any use of heroin; not even
medical. The next year in 1925 a study was done by Dr. Lawrence Kolb to examine the effects
and addiction of morphine and heroin, the conclusion that were slim to none difference
pharmacologically. Due to the black market the use of morphine did not exceed the use of heroin
even though it was illegal, heroin on the contrary grew in usage (Brecher, 1979).
Alcohol Anonymous. In the early 1930s Rowland H. visited Carl Jung, a well-known
Swiss psychoanalyst, to help him with his alcoholism. Carl Jung directed Rowland to the Oxford
Group because he thought Rowland could not be helped medically only spiritually (Alcoholics
Anonymous, 2014). The Oxford Group, founded by Frank Buchman, was a group started at
Oxford University that was based on evangelical beliefs to encourage members to surrender
themselves to the Holy Spirit to help their alcoholism (R, 2014).
Rowland introduced the Oxford Group to one of his friends Edwin T. and they were both
able to stop using alcohol. Becoming a believer Edwin invited his friend Bill W. to try the
program. Bill suffered from chronic alcoholism and was hesitant to believe Edwin’s
transformation through the Oxford Group; after ending up in the hospital once again for
treatment due to alcoholism Bill had a spiritual epiphany. Bill dedicated the rest of his life to
helping other alcoholics find peace (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2014).
On June 10th 1935 Alcoholics Anonymous was founded (A&E Televisions Network,
2014). Alcoholics Anonymous commonly referred to as AA is a twelve step program where
individuals who suffer from alcoholism discuss their feelings, tell their stories, and interact with
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others who have gone through similar experiences. They share hope within the group and offer
support and motivation and the only requirement in joining the group is the goal to stop drinking
(Alcoholics Anonymous WorldServices, 2014). AA is a confidential group so individuals can
speak freely and each individual is recommend to obtain a sponsor. A sponsor is an individual
who has usually gone through the AA program already and the individuals are meant to form a
bond and be a small support system for each other (Recover.org, 2014).
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References
A&E Televisions Network. (2014). This Day in History. Retrieved from History:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/alcoholics-anonymous-founded
Alcoholics Anonymous. (2014). Origins. Retrieved from Alcoholics Anonymous:
http://www.aa.org/aatimeline/
Alcoholics Anonymous WorldServices. (2014). Information on AA. Retrieved from Alcoholics
Anonymous: http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=1
Benezet, A. (1774). The mighty destroyer displayed, in some account of the dreadful havock
made by the mistaken use as well as abuse of distilled spirituous liquors. Philadelphia :
Printed by Joseph Crukshank.
Brecher, E. M. (1979). Chapter 8. The Harrison Narcotic Act (1914). Retrieved from The
Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs:
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/cu/cu8.html
Crowley, J. W., & White, W. L. (2004). Drunkard's Refuge: The Lessons of the New York State
Inebriate Asylum. Amherst and Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.
Davis, C. (1994). HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE. Drug
Use and Abuse in Society.
Digger Odell Publications . (2009). The Keeny Cure. Retrieved from Bottle Books:
http://www.bottlebooks.com/Keeley/keeley_cure.htm
NYSAsylum. (2014). History. Retrieved February 2014, from Castle on the Hill:
http://nysasylum.com/biahist.htm
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Princeton. (2014). Harrison Narcotics Tax Act. Retrieved from Princeton:
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Harrison_Narcotics_Tax_Act.ht
ml
R, R. (2014). Who is Frank Buchman. Retrieved from The Oxford Group Connection:
http://www.aaharrisburg.org/ArchiveHAI/OxfordGroup.htm
Recover.org. (2014). About the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-Step Recovery Program.
Retrieved from Recovery: http://www.recovery.org/topics/alcoholics-anonymous-12-step/
Rush, B. (1816). Inquiry into the effects of ardent spirits upon the human body and mind .
Philadelphia .
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