Tales From The Pharmacy (TFTP)

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Episode 1: The Invisible Drug That Balanced the Mind

What do a bottle of 7 Up, a prisoner of war, and a psychiatric hospital in Australia all have in common? Lithium.

In the first episode of Tales From The Pharmacy, we explore the extraordinary history of lithium, one of the most important medications used to treat bipolar disorder.

From its discovery in Sweden in 1817 to its surprising use in soft drinks, we uncover the story of Australian psychiatrist John Cade, whose unusual experiments with guinea pigs helped revolutionise modern psychiatry.

We also explore lithium toxicity, the scientific breakthroughs that made treatment safer, and the fascinating research investigating whether naturally occurring lithium in drinking water could influence mental health and suicide rates.

Join me, an Australian pharmacist, as we uncover the remarkable discoveries, controversies and unexpected twists behind the medicines we use today.

Every medication has a story. We're here to tell it.

Every medication has a story. We're here to tell it.

References & Further Reading

For anyone interested in exploring the history and research behind this episode, here are some of the original studies and historical resources.

Lithium's discovery and early history

1. Royal Society of Chemistry. Lithium — Element Information, Properties and History.
   https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/3/lithium
2. Shorter E. (2009). The History of Lithium Therapy. Bipolar Disorders.
   https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3712976/
3. Australian Dictionary of Biography. John Frederick Joseph Cade (1912–1980).
   https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cade-john-frederick-joseph-9657

John Cade and the development of lithium treatment

1. Cade JFJ. (1949). Lithium Salts in the Treatment of Psychotic Excitement. Medical Journal of Australia.
   https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1949.tb36912.x
2. Noack CH, Trautner EM. (1951). The Lithium Treatment of Maniacal Psychosis. Medical Journal of Australia.
   https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1951.tb68249.x
3. Schou M, et al. (1954). The Treatment of Manic Psychoses by the Administration of Lithium Salts. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
   https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.17.4.250
4. Baastrup PC, Schou M. (1967). Lithium as a Prophylactic Agent: Its Effect Against Recurrent Depressions and Manic-Depressive Psychosis. Archives of General Psychiatry.
   https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1967.01730200030005

Lithium in drinking water and mental health

1. Schrauzer GN, Shrestha KP. (1990). Lithium in Drinking Water and the Incidences of Crimes, Suicides, and Arrests Related to Drug Addictions. Biological Trace Element Research.
   https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02990271
2. Ohgami H, et al. (2009). Lithium Levels in Drinking Water and Risk of Suicide. British Journal of Psychiatry.
   https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.055798
3. Kessing LV, et al. (2017). Lithium in Drinking Water and the Incidence of Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Population-Based Study. Bipolar Disorders.
   https://doi.org/10.1111/bdi.12524
4. Knudsen NN, et al. (2017). Lithium in Drinking Water and Incidence of Suicide: A Nationwide Individual-Level Cohort Study with 22 Years of Follow-Up. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
   https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14060627
5. Memon A, et al. (2020). Association Between Naturally Occurring Lithium in Drinking Water and Suicide Rates: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Ecological Studies. British Journal of Psychiatry.
   https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2020.128

A Quick Note

This podcast is intended for educational and entertainment purposes and does not replace professional medical advice.

While lithium is an established treatment for bipolar disorder, research into naturally occurring lithium in drinking water remains inconclusive. The studies discussed in this episode do not establish that environmental lithium prevents bipolar disorder or suicide.

This episode includes discussion of suicide statistics in the context of medical research.

If you or someone you know needs support in Australia, Lifeline offers confidential crisis support 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.

https://www.lifeline.org.au

Thanks for listening to our very first episode! If you enjoyed it, we'd love for you to follow Tales From The Pharmacy and join us for more stories from the fascinating history of medicine.