Certain general rules may be laid down. There are no circumstances in which it is advisable for a physician in private practice to attempt to handle a case of chronic alcoholism in the patient's own environment. Efforts to do this are constantly made, with the result that many needlessly die from lack of alcohol, while an even more tragic result is the unnecessary entrance, first into the psychopathic wards of our hospitals and thence into our asylums for the insane, of innumerable cases which needed intelligent treatment only for alcoholism or drug addiction. If this treatment is neglected, the incarceration of these unfortunates in asylums becomes necessary, for without question their insanity is real enough. UNSCIENTIFIC METHODS IN THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM During the summer of 1913 I visited a large hospital in Edinburgh and discussed alcoholism and its treatment with the visiting physician. "We do not have many alcoholics here," said he. "Why?" I inquired. "All our hospital work is supported by private subscription," he answered. "Then there is no place whatever in Scotland for the care of the acute alcoholic case?" "No. If an intoxicated person is locked up by the police and develops delirium, he is sent here, and we do what we can for him by the old methods." "You offer no definite medical help along special lines?" "No; we have none to offer." He showed me two cases in the general ward; one man in a strait-jacket was in the midst of delirium tremens, his face terribly suffused. He was in a pitiable state, and nothing was being done for him. "What course shall we follow?" the physician inquired. "Let me see his chart," I requested. After I examined it, it became immediately apparent that the patient's condition was due to lack of his usual drug. It was his third day in the ward. "Nothing but sleep will save him," I said, and suggested medication which was administered. In three or four minutes the patient was relaxed and taken out of the strait-jacket. I made certain suggestions regarding general stimulation for the bowels and the kidneys, and diet. On the next day I found the patient improved after twelve or fifteen hours of sleep, and wholly free from delirium. His case had now become simply a matter of recuperation. Another case had lived through several days of delirium tremens, which had been followed by a "wet brain"; the visiting physician considered this patient a fit subject for the psychopathic ward. I asked the patient questions about himself. He was sure that he had been out the night before and pointed out one of the internes as his companion during the hours of dissipation. His case was regarded at the hospital as almost certain to end in an asylum. I suggested treatment and within two days the man's mind had entirely cleared up.