Another nickname is "the Brooklyn Boys",  found in Eugene ONeills one-act play Hughie set in Times Square in the 1920s.English author George Eliot provides a case involving delirium tremens in her novel Middlemarch (1871–72). Alcoholic scoundrel John Raffles, both an abusive stepfather of Joshua Riggs and blackmailing nemesis of financier Nicholas Bulstrode, dies, whose "death was due to delirium tremens" while at Peter Featherstones Stone Court property. Housekeeper Mrs. Abel provides Raffles final night of care per Bulstrodes instruction whose directions given to Abel stand adverse to Dr. Tertius Lydgates orders. "Remember, if he calls for liquors of any sort, not to give it to him." (Lydgate to Bulstrode). "...he gave directions to Bulstrode as to the doses, and the point at which they should cease. He insisted on the risk of not ceasing, and repeated his order that no alcohol should be given. (Bulstrode reflecting): "The thought was, that he had not told Mrs. Abel when the dose of opium must cease. ... He walked up-stairs, candle in hand, not knowing whether he should straitaway enter his own room and go to bed, or turn to the patients room and rectify his omission. ... He turned to his own room. Before he had quite undressed, Mrs. Abel rapped at his door ...If you please sir, should I have no brandy nor nothing to give the poor creetur?
The researchers published 2-year outcomes for the first three patients in July 2013. Results were described as promising. The Phase I/II clinical trial is complete. No additional patients are being recruited while the data is analyzed and work progresses to improve the manufacturability and repeatability of the technology while expansion to other geographies to increase access is being considered. Recruiting was completed for the 20 patient cohort in April 2015, which includes an expansion in December 2014 to add 6 additional patients. Inclusion criteria are pre-symptomatic late infantiles and both pre- and early-symptomatic juveniles. See details on inclusion criteria and the trial protocol here. The trial was at a single center at the San Raffaele Institute in Milan, Italy. All costs were to be paid by the researchers. This was a 3-year study. In March 2013, the last of the 8 primary trial patients started therapy. The trial had several compassionate access patients and ultimately was expanded to 20 patients
In late 2013 GSK exercised its option for the San Rafaelle gene therapy technology and is working with the Milan Investigators to prepare for the next phase of study. Intracerebral Gene therapy – A Phase I/II Clinical Trial started recruiting in Paris in late March, 2013 for an Intracerebral Gene Therapy clinical trial where special "vectors" carrying genetically modified material are directly injected into a dozen sites in the brain. The hope is that the corrected cells and the enzyme they produce will then diffuse into surrounding areas of the brain.