Since Dr. Silkworth's first endorsement of Alcoholics Anonymous, medical

societies and physicians throughout the world have set their approval upon

us. Following are excerpts from the comments of doctors present at the

annual meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York where a paper

on A.A. was read:

Dr. Foster Kennedy, neurologist: "This organization of Alcoholics Anonymous

calls on two of the greatest reservoirs of power known to man, religion and

that instinct for association with one's fellows ... the 'herd instinct.' I

think our profession must take appreciative cognizance of this great

therapeutic weapon. If we do not do so, we shall stand convicted of

emotional sterility and of having lost the faith that moves mountains,

without which medicine can do little."

Dr. G. Kirby Collier, psychiatrist: "I have felt that A.A. is a group unto

themselves and their best results can be had under their own guidance, as a

result of their philosophy. Any therapeutic or philosophic procedure which

can prove a recovery rate of 50% to 60% must merit our consideration."

Dr. Harry M. Tiebout, psychiatrist: "As a psychiatrist, I have thought a

great deal about the relationship of my specialty to A.A. and I have come to

the conclusion that our particular function can very often lie in preparing

the way for the patient to accept any sort of treatment or outside help. I

now conceive the psychiatrist's job to be the task of breaking down the

patient's inner resistance so that which is inside him will flower, as under

the activity of the A.A. program."

Dr. W. W. Bauer, broadcasting under the auspices of The American Medical

Association in 1946, over the NBC network, said, in part: "Alcoholics

Anonymous are no crusaders; not a temperance society. They know that they

must never drink. They help others with similar problems ... In this

atmosphere the alcoholic often overcomes his excessive concentration upon

himself. Learning to depend upon a higher power and absorb himself in his

work with other alcoholics, he remains sober day by day. The days add up

into weeks, the weeks into months and years."

Dr. John F. Stouffer, Chief Psychiatrist, Philadelphia General Hospital,

citing his experience with A.A., said: "The alcoholics we get here at

Philadelphia General are mostly those who cannot afford private treatment,

and A.A. is by far the greatest thing we have been able to offer them. Even

among those who occasionally land back in here again, we observe a profound

change in personality. You would hardly recognize them."

The American Psychiatric Association requested, in 1949, that a paper be

prepared by one of the older members of Alcoholics Anonymous to be read at

the Association's annual meeting of that year. This was done, and the paper

was printed in the American Journal of Psychiatry for November 1949.

(This address is now available in pamphlet form at nominal cost through most

A.A. groups or from Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163,

under the title "Three Talks to Medical Societies by Bill W."---formerly

called "Bill on Alcoholism" and earlier "Alcoholism the Illness.")

1944