I've completely forgotten the origins of the thread on 
addiction/alcoholism, but seem to recall it had something to do with good 
general discussions on the origins of the term.  I would add two articles 
in Tracy and Acker's recent "Altering American Consciousness" (2004), one 
by Bill White and one by Tim Hickman, both of whom discuss the meanings of 
the term "addiction", in some historical context.  Hickman challenges 
somewhat Harry Levine's article, though how successfully is open to debate.

Dan Malleck

At 11:50 AM 10/8/04, you wrote:
>Virginia Berridge's note on early meanings of 'addiction' quotes Falstaff in
>Henry IV recommending 'addiction' to sherry. He certainly meant "make a
>habit of..." rather than "become physiologically dependent upon..." I read
>this while preparing a talk on the "Bacchanalian Tradition" in English
>poetry and song, in which I further quote Falstaff's version of the common
>belief that wine facilitates wit and imagination. In his mind,
>'addiction' is a positive virtue:
>
>  " A good sherris-sack hath a twofold operation in it. It ascends me to the
>brain, dries me there all the foolish & dull & crudy vapors which envion it,
>makes it apprehensive, quick, forgetive, full of firey & delectable shapes,
>which delivered o¹er to the voice - the tongue - becomes excellent wit. "
>
>David Ingle,   Framingham, Massachusetts

----------------------
Dan Malleck, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
Community Health Sciences
Brock University
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