The natural history of alcoholism has been described by Trice and Wahl (1958) and by Glatt (1967). The “average” alcoholic first begins drinking when aged 18, and by the time he is 26 he is drinking heavily and frequently becomes drunk. He begins to experience blackouts between the ages of 30 and 35, and a number of years later he is no longer able to control his intake of alcohol. He begins to lose contact with his family and friends and starts drinking alone. By the middle of the fifth decade he has reached his lowest point and seeks admission to hospital. In a proportion of cases∗ this process is markedly accelerated and patients aged 30 or less are admitted to hospital because of alcohol dependence.