Lithium

From insulin comas and lobotomy to incarceration; those who suffered bipolar disorder endured dangerous, ineffective treatments for centuries until a breakthrough in the 1950s offered salvation. Lithium's efficacy at both ending and preventing manic depressive episodes was discovered by John Cade, whose years running a psychiatric ward as a prisoner of war sparked a hunch that put him on the path to revelation. The miraculous metal has since salvaged an untold number of lives but even after its healing power was discovered, it was decades before the medical community could be convinced that lithium was not only safe but life-saving. Walter A. Brown reveals how close we came to missing out on this extraordinary drug and showcasing the possibilities of scientific curiosity.

About the author

Walter A. Brown has been a practicing psychiatrist and professor at Brown University for more than forty years. He has contributed to publications such as Scientific American, Scientific American Mind, and Psychology Today. He lives in Tiverton, Rhode Island.

Summary

The remarkable untold story of a miracle drug, the forgotten pioneer who discovered it and the fight to bring lithium to the masses.

Product details

• Authors: Walter Brown, Walter A. Brown, Walter A. (Brown University) Brown, Brown Walter A.
• Publisher: Norton and Co Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.07.2019
• EAN: 9781631491993
• ISBN: 978-1-63149-199-3
• Dimensions: 165 mm x 242 mm x 20 mm
• Series: Liveright
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > Non-clinical medicine; MEDICAL / Clinical Medicine, MEDICAL / Internal Medicine, Clinical & internal medicine, Clinical and internal medicine