Ellikon (1889 to 1911): Forel-Bosshard's Foundations of the Modern Approach to Institutional Alcohol Treatment
Abstract
Background | In Europe specialised institutional treatment of alcohol dependence began to develop in the 1850s. One of the most distinguished personalities advocating this treatment model was Auguste-Henri Forel, a Swiss physician.
In 1887, together with a lay therapist, Jakob Bosshard, he came up with the idea of establishing and operating a dedicated treatment facility, which was realised a year later. Aims | To explore and describe the ideas and conditions which led to the establishment and development of the Ellikon alcohol institution, which became one of the most acclaimed and successful treatment facilities of its kind.
Methods | Qualitative content analysis of available historical documents was used to identify and collect the data. The documents were categorised according to their relevance to the focus of the research, taking into account the site under consideration, the time and place of its establishment, and the roles of the people involved.
Results and conclusion | The establishment of a specialist treatment institution for people dependent on alcohol at Ellikon in 1888 was a major achievement in the field. The development of the facility was driven by a completely innovative approach to alcohol-dependent individuals that featured the identification of their needs and responding to them.
In addition to medical interventions, other therapeutic aspects were explored, giving rise to aftercare and self-help group initiatives. This approach made the Ellikon institution a major milestone and a driving force in the further advancement of approaches to the treatment of people addicted to alcohol and other substances.