Alcoholism--the second great imitator. An introduction to the problem of alcoholism.

The problem of alcohol abuse and alcoholism pervades our society. The economic losses run into billions of dollars annually. What is more important is the number of fatalities associated with the problem and the effect of alcohol on decision-making processes within all areas of government and nongovernment. The pathologist must understand the fundamental diagnostic processes, recognize the anatomic and clinical findings, and treat alcoholism as a medical problem.