I am not sure if this is the appropriate forum for my comments, if not, I
will accept the opinion of this list. I have just finished reading Deadly
Medicine by Peter Mancall. I am a psychologist with an emphasis in alcohol
and other drug abuse, not an historian, but I do have some comments that I
would like feedback on.
        Obviously I am not qualified to judge the accuracy of the historical
information but I do take issue with what I see as Mancall's thesis
regarding alcohol use by Native Americans. His major points were, if I
understood him correctly, (1) Indians made conscious choices whether to use
alcohol and to abuse alcohol, (2) there is no evidence for a special
tendency for Native Americans to abuse alcohol since many groups did not,
especially those who had had experience with alcohol in fermented form
within the context of their own culture. (3)One has to be careful about
interpreting the terrible impact of alcohol abuse on Indians and not blame
it entirely on the colonists' desire to cheat and destroy them. While not
denying that each of the individual statements could be true, put together
they give what I think is a distorted view of alcohol abuse. Mancall seems
to be influenced by Fingarette in his discussion of alcohol abuse and
dependence. What I feel is missing from his discussion is the possibility
that alcohol use and abuse (the definition of which of course occurs in  a
cultural context), begins as a conscious choice, is catalyzed by poverty,
disintegration of social norms controlling behavior, and abetted by ready
availablility. Once abuse reaches a certain point, however, much evidence
suggests that it takes on a life of its own. Various biochemical changes can
occur which increase the tendency to drink abusively and make sobriety or
temperance difficult. Relapse itself may have both environment and
biological triggers. Mancall seems to acknowledge this when he quotes
various individuals who say that although they know that drunkenness is
destroying them and their culture, they cannot stop. At an absolutist level,
of course, this is not true, or there would never be recovery from alcohol
dependence - it is possible to stop at any time in an abuser's career. At a
more practical level, this statement is true. There seems to be a genetic
component which facilitates, not causes, alcohol abuse and it may not have
any higher incidence among Native Americans than among other groups. Once
abuse has reached a certain point (which is undefined) biochemical and
personality changes seem to give abusive drinking a life of its own. I
certainly agree that a choice is involved whether to drink and even abuse
alcohol, however, the power, strength or whatever word one chooses declines
as abuse continues. Where on this continuum, then, does one place
responsibility.
If anyone is still reading this, I have a request for information. I have a
first edition of Gough's book Platform Echoes: Living Truths for Head and
Heart. I am fascinated by him and by the Washingtonion movement and am
looking for articles that address the social history of the Washingtonians
as well as any reasonably brief biographies of Gough. Forgive my laziness in
not searching for these on my own, but this list seems to be an excellent
starting point. If this message is inappropriate for my comments, I
apoligize for using up your RAM or whatever it is that stores the lists.
Harry Avis
Sierra College
Rocklin, CA 95677
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It takes a lot of courage to become the person you grew up to be
If we live long enough, death comes to us all