Reproduction of the First Grapevine, page 1

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VOL. I, NO. 1, JUNE, 1944 P. O. BOX 328, GRAND CENTRAL ANNEX YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION, 1.50; COPY, 15c
	May we remind those who see, read and possess a copy of this paper but who are not members of A.A. of the meaning of those two initials - - and ask them to respect our anonymity? Please do not quote or reprint without our permission.

TWO   YALE   SAVANTS
STRESS   ALCOHOLISM
AS   TRUE   DISEASE

At the launching of The Grapevine, we wish
to express our heartiest congratulations and
best wishes for the success of this new pub-
lication. The invitation to contribute a note
on the Yale Plan Clinics to the first issue of
your Journal, confirms our belief in the close
relation between the broad studies we have
undertaken on all aspects of alcoholism.
The   first   Yale   Plan Clinics,   which are at
New Haven and Hartford, were established
by the Laboratory of Applied Physiology of
Yale University in cooperation with the Con-
necticut Prison Association.   This most re-
cent venture does not stand by itself, but is
closely   integrated with the researches and
educational    activities of   the    Laboratory.
These    three   activities   represent   a   broad
scheme in which rehabilitation of the alco-
holic   and the prevention of   inebriety are
equal goals.
The Clinics serve several purposes and it is
hard to say which purpose ranks first.   As
long as the general public is not aware of
the fact that alcoholism is a disease, the most
important object of the Clinics is to spread
this idea until it is fully accepted.   For the
time being, this object may be placed ahead
of the guidance of alcoholics. Another object
is to further the development of community
resources which could be utilized in the re-
habilitation of   alcoholics.   At   present,   in
many cases therapy must be undertaken at
the Clinics because of the scarcity of other
resources.   But   when   those facilities shall
have been developed,   based,   perhaps, on
recommendations coming from the experience

of   the   Clinics,    the    latter    will   limit their
activity   solely   to the guiding of alcoholics
to those   facilities which   according to diag-
nosis seem to be the most promising in the
individual case. Such guidance is being prac-
ticed at   present at   the Clinics   in   bringing
suitable   cases   into contact   with   the   local
groups of Alcoholics   Anonymous.   It goes
without saying that one of our objectives is
to further   interest and confidence in   Alco-
holics Anonymous among those who have not
heard of it or who are inadequately informed.
The contacts of the Clinics with the courts,
with   various   departments of   State govern-
ment and with civic agencies will contribute
greatly to bring about adequate understand-
ing of the nature of alcoholism, of the utiliza-
tion of the existing, and the development of
needed, facilities.
The Clinics in giving   physical examinations
to all alcoholics who come for advice bring
to their attention physical ailments which all
too frequently are neglected.   The treatment
of such ailments does not lie within the activi-
ties of   the Clinics,   but the Clinics facilitate
contacts with hospitals or private practition-
ers.
The Clinics have been in operation only two
months and thus a report on "results" is not
justified. It is, however, worth reporting that
out of 70 alcoholics who up to date   have
availed   themselves of   the Clinics, 22   have
come   without   being   "referred," but   solely
from   their   own   desire for    help.    The   re-
mainder have been sent by their relatives, by
the   courts,   social   agencies,   hospitals, and
private practitioners.   Local groups of Alco-
holics Anonymous have sent four men either
for diagnosis of nervous complications or for
physical    examination.   Numerous    inquiries
have been recieved   from court officers and
municipal     administrators     throughout     the
country concerning   the feasibility of estab-

lishing clinics in other cities. The indications
are that   there is a wide interest in   the re-
habilitation of alcoholics and that only direc-
tion is needed to give it full display.
The problem of the alcoholic is to great to
be solved by any one person or even by any
one organization. The cooperation of all in-
dividuals   and   all organizations, based on
mutual   respect and   understanding of each
other's aims, is needed to bring success to the
efforts of all those who are interested in bring-
ing   back the alcoholic into the life of   the
community.
New Haven, Connecticut

Howard W. Haggard
E. M. Jellinek

"GRAPEVINE" IN BOW

In a   big smoke-filled   room six   ink-stained
wretches sipped at their Cokes as I shot ques-
tion after question at them.
"All right," I said, "The stork didn't   bring
this paper. Nobody found it in a rose bush.
It didn't just grow like Topsy. Come clean,
now.   How'd   it all begin?"   "Well," the six
began, "It was just something that was in the
air.   Everybody, at some time or other, has
had the bright idea: let's have an A.A. paper!
Then–bang–Cleveland had one; so why not
us, here in the Metropolitan area? We figured
to take the paper out of the talking stage and
put it into print." With that the six shut up.
In the silence that followed I looked these
people   over.   Very   average.   A cashier;   a
radio script writer; an author; a bookseller;
an art director;   a wife and mother of   two.
"Do you realize,"   I said,   "that you people
are sticking your necks out to here? Starting
a paper up all by your little selves. Not put-
ting it to a vote and all that kind of thing."

(Continued on page 8)

Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., June 1944
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