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 [log in to unmask] 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