Antabus in the treatment of alcoholism in a private general hospital.

In 35 consecutive cases in which patients were admitted to a private hospital for alcoholism, antabus was contraindicated for eight patients and administered to 27. Sixteen patients, followed three to nine months, cooperated fully with treatment and did not return to use of alcohol. In four cases there was at least one episode of drinking, but the patients continued to cooperate with treatment and attained partial success. In seven cases, including three in which antabus was stopped because of organic disease, treatment was unsuccessful. Insufficient insight and lack of family cooperation accounted for four failures. The presence of cardiovascular or hepatic diseases contraindicates antabus. As the test of reaction to alcohol after antabus has been given is hazardous, continuous supervision by nurse and physician throughout the test reaction is mandatory. Sustained results depend upon psychotherapy, family cooperation, careful follow-up, and control of side-reactions to the drug. Antabus as an antagonist to alcohol is not safe enough to permit general use of the drug.