John Cade

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John Frederick Joseph Cade (18 January 1912 – 16 November 1980) was an Australian psychiatrist credited with discovering the use of lithium carbonate as an effective treatment in manic depression, now known as bipolar disorder. His pioneering work began in the late 1940s and has had a profound impact on the management of bipolar disorder, transforming it from a condition that was often untreatable to one that could be managed with medication.

Early Life and Education

John Cade was born in Murtoa, Victoria, Australia, into a family deeply involved in the medical profession. His father was a general practitioner. Cade attended Scotch College in Melbourne and went on to study medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 1937. After his graduation, he worked in various hospitals in Victoria before joining the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1940, during World War II.

World War II Service

During the war, Cade served in the Malaya Campaign and was captured by Japanese forces in 1942. He spent over three years as a prisoner of war (POW) in Changi Prison and the notorious Siam-Burma railway. His experiences as a POW would later influence his psychiatric work, particularly his interest in the biological basis of mental illness.

Medical Career and Lithium Discovery

After the war, Cade returned to Australia and began working at the Bundoora Repatriation Mental Hospital in Melbourne. It was here, in 1949, that he made the groundbreaking discovery that lithium carbonate could stabilize mood in patients with manic depression. Cade's initial interest in lithium was sparked by his observations of guinea pigs. He noted that lithium urate seemed to have a calming effect on the animals, leading him to hypothesize that lithium salts might have a similar effect in humans.

Cade started a small clinical trial with a group of manic patients, administering lithium carbonate and documenting its effects. His findings, published in the Medical Journal of Australia in 1949, showed remarkable improvements in his patients' conditions. However, his work was initially met with skepticism, and it took several years before lithium treatment was widely accepted in psychiatric practice.

Legacy

John Cade's discovery of lithium as a treatment for bipolar disorder has been hailed as one of the most significant advances in the field of psychiatry. It opened the door to the modern era of psychopharmacology, where medications could be used to manage and treat mental illnesses effectively. Despite the initial skepticism, lithium remains a cornerstone in the treatment of bipolar disorder, credited with saving countless lives and improving the quality of life for many more.

Cade continued to work in psychiatry and served as the superintendent of several mental health institutions in Victoria. He was a passionate advocate for mental health research and the deinstitutionalization of mental health care, promoting community-based treatments.

Death and Honors

John Cade died on 16 November 1980. His contributions to psychiatry have been recognized worldwide, and he has received numerous posthumous honors. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists awards the John Cade Fellowship in Mental Health Research, and several buildings and research centers in Australia are named in his honor.

See Also

• Bipolar Disorder
• Psychopharmacology
• History of Psychiatry