Lithium

A Doctor, a Drug, and a Breakthrough

By: Walter A. Brown

Narrated by: Shawn Compton

From insulin comas and lobotomy to incarceration and exile, Walter Brown chronicles the troubling history of the diagnosis and (often ineffective) treatment of bipolar disorder through the centuries, before the publication of a groundbreaking research paper in 1949. Cade's "Lithium Salts in the Treatment of Psychotic Excitement" described, for the first time, lithium's astonishing efficacy at both treating and preventing the recurrence of manic-depressive episodes, and would eventually transform the lives of patients, pharmaceutical researchers, and practicing physicians worldwide. And yet, as Brown shows, it would be decades before lithium would overcome widespread stigmatization as a dangerous substance, and the resistance from the pharmaceutical industry, which had little incentive to promote a naturally occurring drug that could not be patented.

Brown also provides a vivid portrait of the story's unlikely hero, John Cade, a devoted naturalist who, unlike many modern medical researchers, did not benefit from prestigious research training or big funding sources. In this revelatory biography of a drug and the man who fought for its discovery, Brown crafts a captivating picture of modern medical history - revealing just how close we came to passing over this extraordinary cure.

©2019 Walter A. Brown (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

A fine and well told story.

I suspect the major downside will be not enough readers with a keen interest in the Lithium story and the personalities that shaped it. The narration is superb. The book is not a thriller or a drama. Although some of each could have been written in. I’d like to see it on a bit larger stage than the niche market where I believe it will forever reside. The story deserves a second chance.

Thorough historical overview

Thorough and interesting history that gets somewhat bogged down with the exhaustive details of one study and researcher after another. Still worth the listen.

Good read great information

This a good historical perspective of lithium and how lithium came to be a valuable tool. I enjoyed this read and would recommend it to anyone interested in lithium and its uses and history.

An Outstanding Tale About Medical History

I loved everything about this book - from the storyline, to the narrator, to the epilogue. If you're at all curious about the history of mood stabilizers, this book is for you.