Alcoholism as an Emergency Ward Problem

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Abstract
231 consecutive cases of alcoholism admitted to the emergency ward of the Massachusetts General Hospital were studied during a 2 1/2 month period. Cases were divided into two categories: primary, chronic alcoholic patients admitted with acute alcohol intoxication, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and other problems directly related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Secondary, patients who were chronic alcoholics and inebriated but were admitted with a variety of surgical and medical diseases. It was found that both groups of patients had a large age range, and came from a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds. A geographical analysis of the patients living areas revealed that most patients came from an area in the immediate vicinity of the hospital, one that did not differ from the majority of the other cases seen in the Massachusetts General Hospital emergency ward. The findings of this study suggest that alcoholic patients will utilize emergency ward facilities in their area for alcoholic problems, and that the emergency ward may play a key role in future rehabilitation and therapy.
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