City in Sound; Chicago Alcoholic Treatment Center

Good evening. I'm Jim Hurl. Now that here again to catch the kaleidoscopic noises that make up the symphony of the Big Metropolis, the city in sound, there's no end to the colorful sound fragments that make up the total impression of Chicago, summer bright and gay, others are somber, cast a shadow of evil portent across the city. One such is the voice of the alcoholic, individually only a frightened lost call from the dark jungles, collectively annoys the threatens the economic well -being of the entire community. There are numerous efforts being made to at least minimize the effect of that threat. One such is the unique alcoholic treatment center of the city of Chicago, a noble experiment in municipal action against a community problem. Arthur J. Ward, director of the alcoholic treatment center, arts of big title, but you've got an even bigger one than that, haven't you? Yes, I have. I am the director of the Mayor's Commission on Rehabilitation of Persons, but my principal activity for the past two years has been the

executive director of the Chicago Alcoholic Treatment Center. And you spend most of your time out here? I spend practically all of my time out here. Alright, how did the alcoholic treatment center go to start? The alcoholic treatment center got its start as a result of a group of outstanding people in the city of Chicago calling upon the mayor and talking about what alcoholism is doing to the population of Chicago. We have, in their opinion, 174 ,000 alcoholics within the city of Chicago. Alcoholism is a disease, and this commission decided that if alcoholism was a disease that it should be treated as a disease in a hospital on an inpatient basis, pointing out to the people of the city of Chicago that nobody had the answer as to how the alcoholic should be

treated. So, they came forward with a multiple approach, a medical program, a psychiatric program, a religious program, an alcoholic anonymous program, a vocational or recreational program and a research program. Do you feel in examining the records of those who have been treated that the experiment has been a success? I think it's, this is my own reaction, and I don't want to appear as to be egotistical because of my official identification with the hospital. I personally think that it's the best alcoholic treatment center in the United States. Why do I say that? I say of the 397 patients that we have admitted in 1958 and the 214 that we have admitted in 1957, I think that we've helped all of them. We've helped a percentage of more than others. There's a great percentage of our patients that are maintaining total sobriety. There's another group of our patients that have had

slips and they've indicated to us after they've regained their sobriety that the things that they found out at the hospital were helpful in their gaining sobriety at an early date. We think that we've helped others. Now, don't go away from here thinking that we have all successes, we doubt. We have many, many disappointments, but we feel that the hospital people, the doctors, the nurses, the social workers, the priests, the ministers, the AA people have done a terrific job in trying to bring out that there is a way of successfully treating the alcoholic. We have helped them all and we're very, very sorry that we can't say that we've helped them all to the extent that they have maintained total sobriety. I'd be telling you in a lie if I said that that was so. But I referred to this as an experiment, a successful experiment, certainly, and do you feel that it will become a model for other communities

across the country? Well, that's one of the objectives. Mr. G. Murray Campbell, who is the chairman of the Marist Commission, has indicated that he hopes that this will be a model for other governmental agencies to copy after. But more than that, we hope that private industry, other hospitals will become so encouraged by what we do at the alcoholic treatment center that they too will want to do something about the treatment of the patient on an inpatient basis. Because I gather that in the entire nation, this is a unique experiment. I'd say it's unique in this respect that the City of Chicago buy their interest and they're wanting to make a contribution are the only municipalities that are supported entirely by municipal funds. Tell you, are you a patient here at the center? Yes, I am. How did you get here in the first place?

Well, I had the alcoholic problems. So rather than be arrested, I turned myself in. And wanting treatment, I came to the point where I realized that it was either have treatment or else wind up possibly next door at Bridewell or some other institution where goodness knows what would happen there. How did you find out about the alcoholic treatment center? Well, I was recommended here by Walter Kelly, a referee of the municipal courts downtown, and he told me about it. In fact, made full arrangements for me to come out here. And now I'm in my fifth week of treatment here. My appealing. Wonderful. Look wonderful. Thank you. Firemaker, I interrupt a moment. Are you sure you may? You're Phyllis Snyder, right? Yes, I am. And you're the administrative assistant here at the alcoholic treatment center. What do you do out here for these people that come in? What's the program of treating an alcoholic at the center? Well, we try to be an instrument for the men that do seek help here. Our patients are all voluntary, you know. They come of their own volition

because they know they have a problem and with help, they can live a useful and productive life and be of use to the community. When you say they come here voluntarily, how are they directed here? Oh, they're directed in many ways, Mr. Robert. They either read it in a newspaper or they would hear it on radio. Many of them just happen to see the sign in front of the hospital area and come in to inquire about what type of treatment this is. We don't commit patients here. We will not take a commitment from any court. The man must want to help himself. That's the most important thing. There's an alcoholic knowing himself that he isn't an alcoholic that he's a sick man. I'm sure that they know, but whether or not they believe it is another thing. Your title is administrative assistant. You've got a lot more on your background than punching a typewriter, haven't you? Yes, I do. Tell me something about what you've done in relation to alcoholics in the past. Well, two years. I was a Navy flight nurse for four years where I treated psychopathic and alcoholic patients. I did work for an industrial doctor in Chicago where we treated out of patient alcoholics. I was at an alcoholic drying out hospital as

they call it. For seven years and since January 57, I've been with Mr. Ward at the Chicago Alcoholics Center. When you talk about a drying out hospital, what is that constitute? Well, it constitutes getting the man physically well, usually the treatment there is from five to seven days. And physically, we try to make them as well as we can within that period of time. Now, do you do the same thing here? No, we don't, Mr. Robert. In fact, we will not take a man while he is in the acute stages or in the intoxicated stage of his drinking. The reason being we have quite a specific screening procedure here, which means the man must be motivated to want help. When they're drinking naturally, they're going to grasp at anything, but the next day he may change his mind. So we feel that our men should want to have help and we're happy to help them. Why is this such a dangerous thing? What does a man do to himself in his community and his family when he lets himself sink into alcoholism? Well, in many

cases, you'll find we're either one of the parents. And incidentally, there are many women alcoholics in our country too. You know, it's not only men where either one of the parents are alcoholic. Generally, the children do not receive the attention that they should. They get into phases of delinquency where the child is the one that actually suffers for the patient, for the parent's behavior. Many instances men die before they learn that they can live usefully without alcohol. Unfortunately, that's very true. Out of his lifetime, how much time does a man spend here in the treatment center? Well, we treat them all as individuals. They only suffer one thing in common, you know, it's that they can't drink. Other than that, they're just as individual as you and I are. We treat them approximately four to six weeks. Some stay longer if our doctors feel they should. Some stay a shorter period of time, depending on his own progress. Hi, Bill. You're a pretty young girl. Yes, sir. All day. 21. 21. You've been having a problem with drinking for a long time? Half four years. Really? It's your 17th. Yes, sir. How'd you get started on that? Well,

I went into service about 17. I started now. When did you find out that you were having more than you could handle? Well, uh, uh, ever since I started, I could never handle it, you see. Well, I've got very first one, Bell, would you write this? Yeah, I have. That's right. You getting a lot of help out here? I sure am. How long have you been in, Bill? Uh, seven weeks. Seven weeks. Look forward to getting out pretty soon. Yes, sir. Got work you're going to go into? Uh, yes. Uh, thank my brother's going to try and help me out with the job. Look like you're getting around, though. Uh -huh. Right here. Okay, thank you. Is this the office where an applicant comes for screening? Yes, Mr. Hero, but this is the office of the Psychiatric Social Service where an applicant has first seen before he enters the hospital. And your name is? I am Martin Stenson, the director of Psychiatric Social Service. Well, I've picked up some of the application forms that the applicant fills out when he comes up here

to the center. I wanted to ask you some questions first of all about the questions that are included in the application forms on about the fourth page after I answer the usual questions about family and background and service, things of that kind. I come to a page of questions which it says, I am to ask myself and answer as honestly as I can. It's about 20 questions, let's see. Do you lose time from work? Do the drinking is the first question? The last question, the 20th, have you ever been to a hospital institution on account of drinking? What does this list of 20 questions do? What service does it perform for you? These questions, Mr. Hero, but we'll give us a clue as to the extent that drinking has affected the lives of the people who are applying here with a greater frequency of time away from jobs and craving of drinks in the morning and so forth. This will help us understand to what extent the man has been influenced by his drinking habit.

I'm talking to a man here in your office across your desk. What do you ask him? What do you seek to find out that will decide for you whether or not he is a fit subject for a mission? Well, the question that's in the back of our minds is just how anxious is this person about handling his problem with drink? We might ask him a question such as, just how much do you want to quit drinking? The man might say, I'd give anything to quit drinking. If this is said with a lot of emphasis, a lot of sincerity, a lot of anxiety, we're quite sure that the man is seriously concerned over himself. In other words, you want to know the tell the difference between morning after remorse and the sincere desire to get rid of the alcoholic habit, is that right? I think that's a good way of explaining it. Do you get a lot of people in here who are only remorseful momentarily? No, we don't. The applicants for admission who come

here are usually people who have run the gamut of various treatment institutions and have unsuccessfully used them. This seems to be sort of a last -age stand for them and they are quite highly determined to make this a good well -rounded effort at helping themselves. As opposed to seeing people across your desk here from all walks of life. We do. However, have found out that most applicants are from what one might loosely call middle upper middle class. What's the reason for that, do you think? In my opinion, I feel that people from what we might call a poorer group of people probably have had so little given to them in their own background and childhood that there is little within them to motivate them. And you have both sexes here?

No, at the present time, we are treating male patients only. We hope eventually to expand and take care of female patients as well. Do you have applicants, female applicants coming in? Occasionally, we have female applicants and when we do, we refer them to proper facilities. After you talk to an applicant, where does he go from here? After an applicant has been interviewed by me, I will take him to our medical doctor for a physical examination. We do have a physical examination in order to preclude any serious or organic or emotional diseases which might stand in the way of successful treatment. Are you lining up for child out here? Just about. We are just getting ready for dinner. How's the food here? The food is excellent. What do you think is the best part of the treatment here at this end of your point of view? Well, from my point of view, I believe it's a change of

your way of thinking. I have been in the AAs and I was recommended here by an AA. But I find out this has changed my whole attitude about drinking. It's something entirely new. I've never seen anything like it before and I have been a mantino. I have, I've been there several times. You've been fighting this all over a period of time. Does it kind of a gradual thing? It's progressive. No, it's progressive from social drinking right into it. Are you aware of it? Definitely. Yeah, I am now more so. But I think I can exercise a little control now much more than before. Hi. You're the medical director. Yes, I'm medical director. Everybody here calls you Dr. Joe and that's the only name I know. What is your real name? Folk. Jose Viches. Maybe that's why they call you Dr. Joe. Oh, I've got a few

people who are able to pronounce my name. A lot of people come in here to see you, Dr. You take the applicants as they come in here to give them physical examinations and a good deal more, don't you? Oh, sure. I speak sometimes even from the psychiatric point. I have a few questions about past and general. I do more than physical. What sort of physical shape are these fellows in when they come in here? Oh, from, depending from sometimes very good shape, but sometimes just you surprise how man able to live and walk. What principal harms us during to them physically? In general, alcohol or mostly everything, sometimes we're getting with a heart condition, many neurologic patients with pulses in their hands or foot drops, and memory impairments, all kind. It depends what what person. But mostly it would be from the neurologic point and tend with cardiac impairments and so on.

Now you're not alone here in the medical department, is that right? No, I have a assistant, Dr. Lindsay. I have a Dr. Rainy's work at night, every night, and now I got Dr. Bernard, and like Dr. Rainy's already over here, he knows how to handle acute cases and anything. Was the doctor here then 24 hours a day? That practically. And you see these men in here often during their stay, do you? Oh, every day several times, maybe men would walk in and out and meet me. I drink coffee together, sometimes I sit down and speak, and all of a sudden it's a constant contact, a constant contact. Do you see any change in them during the weeks they're here? For sure, the dramatic change is sometimes men just barely walk, and he does not remember, for instance, his date or day in a few days, he's just like a new man. When I could take a picture, for instance, you would show for men, he would not recognize himself out of a few days sometimes. And

that's what you're trying to do, Dr., send them out here, out of here, as new men. Yeah, just to build up physically and emotionally. Have you been here at the center for some time? I've been here five weeks. Getting ready to leave, pretty soon. Yes, sir. I'll leave here next Wednesday. Looking forward to getting out? Yes, sir. Of course you came in here, volunteering. I'll entirely, I came in here on my own. How did you find out about this? I read this through the newspapers. I attended a few AA meetings, which I heard about the center. And I think it's a wonderful thing they're doing here, for the men that are, say, alcoholics. Have you had experience with other places where they treat alcohol? No, sir, this is my first opportunity. I had to come into a treatment center like this. I've been finding a lot of problems with drinking over the first time. Yes, I did, and I almost lost my home, my wife and my child. Do you get physical treatment here as well as the mental health? We do. We have calisthenics in the morning, and then we have physical therapy meetings. And we

see movies on different things. And it's nice. And I enjoyed the five weeks that I was here. Did I work the go -to when you came out? Yes, I have. No problem for you. No problems for me. One of the patients I talked to mentioned the alcoholics and animals work over here. And I understand that you're the field worker for the center, and a lot of your work is in connection with AA. All of the work is connected with AA. And what is your name, sir? John G. What's the activity that goes on here in relation to AA? We have two meetings a week, AA closed meetings. And once we have an open meeting in which the public, the wives, or relatives, or friends are welcome to come out here and visit. That time we have a speaker and a regular AA open meeting. Of course, so a lot of these men that are in here in the center have been,

have members of AA in the past, but have attended AA meetings, I guess. That's right, yes. And I gathered two that they seem to find a little bit more incentive to go on with the AA work here at the center than they do on the outside. I'd say so, Jim. In my personal opinion, this is one of the greatest movements towards helping AA. How, why is that? Well, it gives them an opportunity to have a medical attention, it gives them a chance to get psychiatric help. It gives them a chance to rehabilitate them physically, as well as mentally. And then he is a more apt product or pupil, shall we say, for alcoholic synonymous when he comes out of here. No, there's this takes all those other stresses off his shoulders, so that he can concentrate more on the values he's receiving through AA. That is right. That is right. What sort of speakers do you get out here? All AA speakers. What do they talk about? Their problems, pretty much the old movie technique, I suppose, of how I got in trouble

and how I got out of it. One of the reasons for that is that it's pretty hard for you to say, it's a drunk talking dummy, which I am, that I've been every place you have. And if I can do it, you can do it. And the speaker up there, he's been every place that any patient has been out here. We can match stories pretty well. The matter of sharing is similar load. That is true, yes, that's right. I understand you're a former patient here at the center. Yes, and that's correct. How did you happen to come back today? Well, I just got in town this morning and my wife told me to stop over that she had some clothing she thought missionary could use for the woman's center. When did you come here the first time? I came in as a patient at October 58. What had happened to you before October 58? Well, I had a drinking problem and it was a very bad one. What kind of a problem? Well, I was a periodic drinker and it was getting the purge began to come closer and closer together, and I decided I'd do something about it. Was it causing a trouble at home? Yes, it was. It was causing me great difficulty, mostly at home. But during the

time you were here, how long were you in the center for treatment? I was in the center for about a month. What particular part of the activity here do you think was the thing that helped you kick this problem? The activity, I mean, is wonderful, but I think working with your social workers you get more out of it to understand yourself. And to weigh that you can cope with the problem within yourself. What did you find out about yourself? Well, I found out one thing that I had been running checking the short cut instead of facing my problems right down the middle. By taking a short cut, you mean turning the drink to try yourself to forget? And when I woke up, I mean the problem was still there and it's still greater. Well, looking at you right now, you don't look like you've got many problems. Well, I mean, all I can say is thank to Mr. Schneider and Mr. Stenson and Mr. Ward because they've been a big deal of help to me. And that's the city and sound and the story of a municipal experiment that

may pay big dividends. Jim Herbert reporting, George Wilson coping with the engineering problems. Next week, a frontline report on the war against crime.