Anatomy Of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, And The Miracle Drug Cocaine (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
I was first introduced to Sigmund Freud as a teenager, and, as most of his theories seemed to revolve around sex and inhibition (joyfully celebrated in song by Melanie Safka), I wholeheartedly embraced his ideas. It was some years later that someone commented to me, "Well, you know he got half of Vienna hooked on cocaine, right?" Well, no, I didn't, and after reading this book I'm still not convinced that's an accurate assessment.This book explores the history of cocaine as a medicinal aid through the addictions of Freud and William Halsted, a brilliant and promising surgeon. Both men, dedicated physicians, were seduced by the drug's mood- and energy-enhancing properties, as well as its anaesthetic potential. Their slide into the abyss was subtle, occurring in an era of unrestricted medical experimentation, and in which addiction was not yet a recognized illness. Their careers were jeopardized, with differing consequences; Freud's crash on the bottom resulted in total abstinence and recovery. Halsted struggled with a dual addiction to cocaine and morphine, and his path was more like the winning toss in a stone-skipping challenge: multiple hard bounces along the surface before ultimately sinking.Freud did share this miracle drug with his patients; he mistakenly believed it to be harmless, and prescribed it as both an antidote to morphine dependency and a relief for hysteria. On more than one occasion the results were disastrous, but the addict's forte is self-deception and he did not immediately recognize the truth.I enjoyed this book from a biographical standpoint, but felt a disconnect between the physicians' histories and that of the drug. While I found it well-written, interesting, and having excellent historical perspective, I wanted to know more about the men and their accomplishments, with or without the influence of cocaine. It was hard to grasp a solid position from the author, and the interesting question he posed late in the book, whether they were brilliant in spite of or because of their addiction, remained largely unexplored. I love good non-fiction reads -- the ones that engage you and also make you feel intelligent for reading them. This book, the story of two highly accomplished individuals' struggles with cocaine, falls squarely into that category.Freud was a cocaine addict? Who knew? What does this do to any credibility his ideas have at this point? Okay, I'm exaggerating. According to this book, Freud ended his battle with cocaine prior to writing "The Interpretation of Dreams." Although apparently, I'm not the only one to speculate about the extent to which Freud's cocaine abuse may have influenced his ideas.William Halstead (inventor of the radical mastectomy and founding surgeon at Johns Hopkins), on the other hand, continued to struggle with cocaine and later, morphine, throughout his distinguished career. Interestingly, this book differs from "The Emperor of All Maladies" which claimed that Halstead abandoned cocaine in favor of his career.It was interesting to read about the initial excitement about cocaine as a miracle drug, gradually followed by the slow realization of its addictive properties and side effects. As my sister pointed out, it makes you wonder about today's miracle drugs and what we may discover about them tomorrow. It was also interesting to read about Freud and Halstead's personalities, careers, and struggles with the drug. After reading this book I wanted to seek out another biography of Freud for more detail, and when a book inspires me to learn more about something, I see that as a very good thing.It wasn't perfect; I agree with my sister that there were a few draggy places and that some of the author's speculations and imagined dialogue seemed a bit questionable. Overall, though, an engaging and worthwhile read.
What do You think about Anatomy Of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, And The Miracle Drug Cocaine (2014)?
Who would have known? . . . Sigmund a coke addict. . . just saying . . . Fascinating read.
—sams
A long account of the cocaine addiction of Freud and Halsted.
—BekkaRrr
A little soft on hard facts but an interesting read.
—Baley
