Prevention of Alcoholism

To the Editor:— In the answer of Maurice Seevers, MD, to a question on glutamine and "How Not to Become an Alcoholic" (200:425, 1967) there was some confusion with respect to L-glutamine (this is its correct name). Some physicians have used L-glutavite for alcoholism in lieu of L-glutamine, and have obtained negative results. L-glutavite contains no L-glutamine. The term "levoglutamide" which Dr. Seevers introduced is in error. L-glutamine is a member of the L-series of amino acids, but the capital L should not be thought of as designating levo. L-glutamine in water solution isdextrorotatory. The article in question was not, as implied, on themanagementof alcoholism but rather on its prevention. Dr. Seevers is right in saying that L-glutamine has not an established record of efficacy. It has been tried in relatively few cases, some of which have yielded extremely suggestive results. There is not room here