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Stanley R. Platman, MB, MRCP; Ronald R. Fieve, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1968;19(6):659-663.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

THE NAME "lithium" from the Greek lithos, meaning stone, was conferred on an elusive constituent of rocks early in the last century. Arfwedson was able to show that it chemically resembled sodium and potassium in some reactions but not in others. It occupies the third box in the periodic table because the three protons in its nucleus give it three units of electric charge and an atomic number of three. Its atomic weight (6.94) makes it the third lightest element after hydrogen and helium.¹ The hydrated radius and atomic charge density of the lithium ion would lead to the prediction that it would behave more like sodium than potassium in biological systems.

In 1949 Cade used lithium to treat mania.² It has repeatedly been shown to be effective in the treatment and prevention of the manic phase in manic-depressive disease. There is little effect on . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
New York

From the Department of Psychiatry of Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

Footnotes
Submitted for publication May 17, 1968.

Read before the American College of Physicians, Boston, April 5, 1968.

Reprint requests to 722 W 168th St, New York 10032 (Dr. Platman).

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