But if you believe that alcoholism is defined by a preoccupation with drinking, a steady increase in the amount you need to drink in order to get the same effect, and an inability to give it up -- and most in the medicalprofession do -- then more and more women fit the profile quite nicely, though often come to the realization on their own.
Mr Milburn - whose conference address will be his first high-profile speech to the members of the medicalprofession since the Budget - is also said to favour the money being spent on training new staff, replacing outdated equipment and replacing old technology.
But putting the anger "into context", Dr Shepherd explained how the medicalprofession had re-defined the illness to include a "wider spectrum" of conditions and triggers.