ARG librarian, Andrea Mitchell, was kind enough to fax me the editorial
piece in the just-out number of *Addiction*.
 
ATHG member, Virginia Berridge, has kicked-off a "new occasional
series" of historical articles slated to appear in this journal with an
excellent editorial arguing history's interest and importance
("Addiction History," 92[3], 253-255, 1997).  "Why history?" she asked.
 
"History makes a disciplinary specialty of the passge of time.  This
perspective alone can induce a more thoughtful and curious response, a
realization that our current preconceptions do not necessarily have the
status of timeless 'fact'.  Nor does change occur to some type of
predetermined and rational policy master plan.  Historical approaches
can give some inkling of how and why scientific facts and policy
reactions are constructed--and of the complex interrelationships
between the two" (p. 253).
 
Alas, conveying all the well-made points in her editorial would require
retyping the whole thing!
 
This number of *Addiction* holds the first in this new series:  ATHG
member, David T. Courtwright's "The prepared mind: Marie Nyswander,
methadone maintenance, and the metabolic theory of addiction,"
*Addiction* 92:257-265.  Future contributions to Berridge's series
include an article by ATHG president, Pat Prestwich ("Paul-Maurice
Legrain 1860-1939") as well as papers by S. Nycander ("Ivan Bratt and
alcohol reforms in Sweden: The man who saved Sweden from prohibition")
and L. Wilkinson ("Sir Austin Bradford Hill: medical statistics and the
quantitative approach to the prevention of disease").
 
Were all this not enough, Viriginia took time to plug SHAR and ATHG-L
(see footnote #6)!
 
Hearty congrats and best of good wishes for this well-launched venture,
Virginia!
 
 
--
Ron Roizen, Ph.D.
voice:  510-848-9123
fax:    510-848-9210
home:   510-848-9098
1818 Hearst Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94703
U.S.A.
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