IV. THE MEDICAL VIEW ON A.A.

(pp. 167-168)

Below is a plain language version of this section of Alcoholics Anonymous. The quotes from experts that you see here have been simplified and paraphrased.

Since Dr. Silkworth first wrote about his support of Alcoholics Anonymous, other medical groups and physicians across the world have given their approval of our program. Below are some comments from doctors present at the 1944 annual meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York, where a paper on A.A. was read aloud:

Dr. Foster Kennedy, neurologist: “Alcoholics Anonymous calls on two of the greatest sources of power known to humankind: religion and our instinct to gather with like-minded people. I think the medical profession needs to be aware of A.A. as a great treatment. If we don't, we will be guilty of ignoring our emotions and losing the faith that moves mountains. Without both of these things, medicine can do very little to help people.”

Dr. G. Kirby Collier, psychiatrist: “I believe that A.A. is a unique group. They achieve the best results by following their own guidance and their own philosophy. Any program with a recovery rate of 50% to 60% is worth considering.”

Dr. Harry M. Tiebout, psychiatrist: “As a psychiatrist, I have thought a lot about the relationship of my area of expertise to A.A. I have concluded that the work psychiatrists do is often about preparing a patient to accept treatment or outside help. Now I believe the psychiatrist's job is to break down a patient's inner walls so that person can grow and thrive. This is also the purpose of the A.A. program.”

Dr. W. W. Bauer, speaking as a member of the American Medical Association in 1946, over the NBC network, said: “Alcoholics Anonymous are not activists or missionaries. They are not a group that tells everyone to stop drinking alcohol. They know that they must never drink. They help other people with similar problems … In this situation, alcoholics are often able to stop thinking only about themselves. Learning how to depend on a higher power and to enjoy working with other alcoholics, they are able to stay sober day after day. The days add up into weeks, the weeks into months and years.”

Dr. John F. Stouffer, Chief Psychiatrist, Philadelphia General Hospital, speaking about his experience with A.A., said: “The alcoholics we get here at Philadelphia General are mostly people who cannot afford to pay for private treatment. A.A. is by far the greatest thing we have been able to offer them. Even the alcoholics who sometimes come back to our hospital for treatment experience a deep and lasting change in personality. You would hardly recognize them.”

In 1949, the American Psychiatric Association asked that one of the older members of Alcoholics Anonymous write a paper that would be read at the Association's annual meeting that year. This was done, and the paper was printed in the American Journal of Psychiatry in November 1949.

(For many years, this paper was available as a pamphlet called “Three Talks to Medical Societies by Bill W.” Although this has been retired from publication, individual copies are available through the Archives of the General Service Office.)