The police find a man in a seedy part of town; he looks in "bad shape" so they call for an ambulance. On the way to the hospital the paramedic calls the hospital base with the following: approximately 50-year-old white male, heavy sweating, hand tremors, seems delirious, and appears to be experiencing hallucinations. When the patient arrives at the hospital, the emergency room physician suspects that the patient is experiencing

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The patient's symptoms of heavy sweating, hand tremors, delirium, and hallucinations are classic signs of alcohol withdrawal, especially in a middle-aged man who appears to be in bad shape. Cocaine withdrawal and barbiturate overdose can cause similar symptoms, but the absence of other signs such as seizures or respiratory depression makes these less likely diagnoses. Schizophrenic episodes typically do not present with these physical symptoms.

The Police Find a Man in a Seedy Part of Town;