This episode looks at the alcoholic and his family what their medical and social problems are, and what kinds of treatment are available. The bulk of the episode is a discussion between executive producers David Prowitt, Dr. Nicholas J. Khoury, chairman of the alcoholism committee of the Los Angeles Medical Association, and Robert T. Dorris, president of the Committee on Alcoholics and Related disorders (CARD). One of the two guests on this episode, Robert T. Dorris, is a former alcoholic. He is now president of an organization called the Committee on Alcoholics and Related Disorders (CARD). He and Dr. Nicholas J. Khoury, chairman of the alcoholism committee of the Los Angeles Medical association, are questioned by David Prowitt. In the first half of the episode the discussion is chiefly about physical aspects of alcoholism what it is; what kinds of drinking patterns lead to alcoholism what it is; what kinds of drinking patterns lead to alcoholism; different tolerance levels and how these levels are affected by age; how alcohol affects the liver; how it impairs driving ability, even in small amounts. In the second half of the episode the guests talk about why people drink heavily; what kinds of rehabilitation are available for alcoholics; how a person can become aware that he is heading toward alcoholism how people around an alcoholic, such as family and employer, should behave toward him. In answering Prowitts questions, Dorris draws mainly from his own experiences, while Dr. Khoury concentrates on the questions that call for medical answers. SPECTRUM 101 THE ALCOHOLIC AMERICAN is a co-production of NET and its Los Angeles affiliate station, KCET. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche) Spectrum consists of 101-142 half-hour episodes produced in 1964-1969.
