Residents at the flop house of Bill Wilson at 182 Clinton Street in 1937 - 50% Suicide Rate

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Submitted by JR Harris on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 07:38

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In 1937 Bill Wilson had turned the parents home of his wife Lois Wilson on 182 Clinton Street into a flop house where he could experiment on drunks he picked up on street corners with his chanting rituals and ceremonies. He had amassed quite a following with Ebby T, Oscar V, Russell R, Bill C and Florence R and Bill C while sending his wife out to work and pay for his cigarettes and the mortgage. Out of the 4 followers he had his wife supporting for his experiment, 50% ended up committing suicide. Bill C., a Canadian lawyer killed himself using the kitchen stove next to the famous coffee table now proudly displayed at the Stepping Stones compound on 62 Oak Road in Katonah, New York and Florence R killed herself in 1941 after writing "A Feminine Victory" for the first edition of the "Big Book" that was removed from the subsequent editions.

For some reason a 50% suicide rate from the original followers of Bill Wilson being experimented on at 182 Clinton Street is forgotten and Bill C who was 1 out of the 4 or 25%, was made into a martyr to sell Big Books to support the adulterous lifestyle of Bill Wilson. Florence R was disowned from the fellowship as quickly as could be done by removing her contribution to the Big Book in the very next edition. Talk about gratitude.

Source: http://silkworth.net/timelines/timelines_public/1937_1938.html

alkieanon's picture

alkieanon

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 08:33

"The main difference between populations and samples has to do with how observations are assigned to the data set."

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JR Harris

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 09:14

Population = 4, Sample size = 4, 100% representation of statistical facts of drunks being experimented on at 182 Clinton Street by Bill Wilson in 1937.

It could be argued that there were actually 6 people in the entire population if you add Bill and Lois Wilson making a total of 2 suicides out of 6 for a percentage of 33% (rounded down). It could also be argued that the suicide of Florence R in 1941 was not in that time frame of 1937-1938 making 1 suicide out of 6 or a 15% suicide rate (rounded down) during the 1937 time period. It could also be argued that Bill C did not kill himself during a Bill Wilson ritual chanting ceremony making a 0% suicide rate, however that would be like saying the shooting of a pregnant woman in the head allegedly by Omar Martínez in Baldwin Park, California in 2011 was not AA related despite the fact that he left the church chasing after another AA member during the ritual leaving his court card to be signed left behind and it happened in the parking lot.

Court Mandated AA member 19-year-old Omar Martínez allegedly shoots pregnant woman in back of head at Baldwin Park AA meeting, still on the loose. http://orange-papers.org/forum/node/968

In reality, Bill Wilson was the one performing the experiments on drunks he had enticed into the flop house on 182 Clinton Street and should not be included in the sample population making 1 suicide of or 5 or a 20% suicide rate. Since Lois was not an "alcoholic" it could alse be argued that she should not be included in the sample population making 1 suicide out of 4 or 25%.

As can be seen depending upon how the data is analyzed the suicide rate can logically be from 0% to 50% depending upon who is doing the calculations from the data supplied. A statistician looking to prove that the early experiments of Bill Wilson chanting rituals caused suicide would gravitate towards the 50% suicide rate and someone trying to prove that AA rituals do not cause suicide would come up with a suicide rate of 0%. E. Morton Jellinek a member of the board of trustees of Alcoholics Anonymous and an Associate Professor of Applied Physiology at Yale University agreed that the suicide rate in Alcoholic Anonymous members was higher than the normal population of people termed as "Alcoholics."

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

alkieanon's picture

alkieanon

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 21:27

"Common sense can cloud statistical results. For instance, a technology firm discovered that 40% of all sick days were taken on a Friday or a Monday. They immediately clamped down on sick leave before they realised their mistake. Forty per cent represents two days out of a five day working week and therefore is a normal spread, rather than a reflection of swathes of feckless opportunists trying to extend their weekends."

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JR Harris

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 23:23

The first edition 1939, printing of the "Big Book" (aka Bill Wilson's Book of Shadows) stated that 100 people has recovered from alcoholism by using Wilson's chanting rituals. Unfortunately it was only 40 alcoholics in the sample population and out of that 50% relapsed. Talk about statistical irrelevance...

http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-effectiveness.html#BB_relapses

We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary. We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand the alcoholic. Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all.

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

Raymond Hessel

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 22:59

"One poor chap committed suicide in my home."