The history of addiction treatment is filled with intriguing stories, but few are as captivating as the beginnings of the Charles Towns Belladonna Cure. Known later as the “Towns-Lambert treatment,” this so-called cure became a pivotal method for treating alcoholism and drug addiction in the early 20th century. Interestingly, it was the very same treatment that played a crucial role in the recovery journey of Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Its roots, however, are anything but conventional.
A Leap from Brokerage to Medicine
Charles Towns’ journey into addiction treatment was an unexpected detour from his previous life. After leaving a successful career in selling insurance in Georgia, Towns moved to New York City in 1898. He became a partner in a brokerage business, but personal and professional hardships eventually pushed him towards a new path. In 1901, a pivotal encounter changed his life forever. A non-physician acquaintance claimed to have a remedy that could free addicts from their dependencies. Despite having no medical background, Towns was intrigued.
“In 1901, a man who was not a physician told me he believed he had a remedy that would free an addict from the drug habit. At that time I knew nothing about medicine, and less about drug habits. I had never been afflicted with any such habit, and had never paid any attention to anyone who had. I thought it was preposterous for this man to suggest that I take up this matter, and I told him so. I asked him why he did not appeal to a physician, and he answered that no physician believed it possible to treat cases of drug addiction in a definite way. By a strange stroke of fate, it happened that on that very day I found it necessary to call in my family physician to see one of my children.” I told him of the conversation that I had had, and he made all manner of fun of me for even permitting the man to take up my time. He told me how nonsensical it would be to treat such a case in the way that this man suggested. He himself had had several cases, but he usually sent them to medical institutions, where they were kept over long and indefinite periods, and finally turned adrift-uncured and incurable, and this, he said, was the experience of the profession.
The dogmatic attitude of my physician incited me to investigate the matter further. I secured for treatment a real fiend—a man who was taking forty grains of morphine a day. I hired a small apartment in a New York hotel-and a physician to stand sponsor for the treatment. It was terrible therapy—the patient went wild, and tried to tear the house down; he swore he would have us all arrested, if we did not desist at once. He wanted to quit, the man with the formula wanted to quit, the doctor wanted to quit. But I saw that this was not the time to quit. For three days and nights I remained in that room-with my prisoner. On the fourth day the man claimed he no longer craved morphine, and on the sixth day he returned to his home. Two years ago I saw this man. He had never touched the drug since that day, and was in splendid physical condition.”
-Charles Towns, Medical Review of Reviews, 1916
Refining the Formula
Encouraged by this initial success, Towns realized that the treatment needed refinement. Partnering with Dr. Alexander Lambert, they fine-tuned the formula, incorporating belladonna, a plant known for its psychoactive properties. This combination aimed to disrupt the physical and psychological grip of addiction. The treatment involved administering powerful agents to induce physical reactions that would supposedly reset the patient’s system.
The Components of the Belladonna Cure
The Towns-Lambert treatment’s key components were belladonna and henbane, both known for their psychoactive and dissociative properties. Belladonna, often referred to as “deadly nightshade,” contains alkaloids such as atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine, which affect the central nervous system. Henbane contains similar compounds, known to induce hallucinations, altered states of consciousness, and even delirium in higher doses. While Towns and Lambert may not have fully understood the neurological mechanisms at play, these dissociative psychedelics likely played a significant role in disrupting the addictive pathways in the brain.
Interestingly, these substances may have contributed to the so-called “white light” experiences reported by some patients, including Bill Wilson. Such mystical or transcendent experiences are often associated with profound shifts in perception, which can catalyze lasting psychological change. In Wilson’s case, the experience was pivotal, marking a turning point in his battle with alcoholism and influencing the spiritual foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The Frustration with Medical Orthodoxy
Towns was often vocal about his frustration with the medical community’s stance on addiction. At the time, the prevailing belief among physicians was that addiction was an incurable condition—that once an addict, always an addict. Doctors largely dismissed the idea that physical dependence could be “cured,” relegating treatment to mere management rather than recovery. Towns found this perspective both disheartening and infuriating. His early successes with the belladonna cure stood in stark contrast to the pessimism of the medical establishment.
He argued that the medical profession was too rigid, clinging to outdated theories that failed to acknowledge the possibility of true recovery. Towns believed that addiction was not a life sentence, and he set out to prove that effective, transformative treatment was possible. His relentless pursuit of a cure was fueled by this frustration, as he sought not only to treat patients but to challenge and change the prevailing medical dogma of his time.
Controversy and Legacy
The Towns-Lambert treatment, while groundbreaking, was not without controversy. The aggressive methods and the use of belladonna, a potentially toxic substance, raised many eyebrows in the medical community. Despite this, the treatment gained widespread popularity, notably being mentioned in the foundational text of Alcoholics Anonymous, where Bill Wilson, AA’s co-founder, acknowledged its role in his recovery journey.
The Impact on Addiction Treatment
The legacy of the Charles Towns Belladonna Cure lies not just in its methods but in its bold approach to addiction treatment. It marked a shift from purely punitive or moralistic views of addiction to a more medicalized approach, paving the way for future innovations. Towns’ determination to find a solution, despite his lack of formal medical training, underscores the desperate need for effective addiction treatments during that era.
In reflecting on the origins of the Towns Cure, we see a blend of desperation, experimentation, and a relentless quest for recovery solutions—elements that continue to shape the field of addiction treatment today.
