But now, lithium - the third element of of the periodic table and an essential constituent of soil, oceans, and every living organism - is being heralded by some experts as the next fluoride; an additive with such therapeutic potential, it should be ingested by millions of Americans every time they pour a glass of drinking water.
It's a provocative prospect that research suggests might reduce rates of suicide, violent crime, and hard drug use.
NOT TO MENTION GETTING TARRED AND FEATHERED BY A POPULATION ENRAGED BY BEING FORCED INTO POVERTY BY WALL STREET AND WASHINGTON DC GREED!
As reported at:
http://www.sntp.net/drugs/lithium_breggin.htm
"ohn Cade accidentally discovered the effect of lithium while injecting it into guinea pigs in his laboratory in Australia. Serendipitously he noticed that the guinea pigs became sedated and even flaccid. As he explained in the 1949 Medical Journal of Australia, "A noteworthy result was that after a latent period of about two hours the animals, although fully conscious, became extremely lethargic and nonresponsive to stimuli for one to two hours before once again becoming normally active and timid."
Notice that the animals became "extremely lethargic and unresponsive to stimuli." Does this sound like the discovery of a treatment specific for "biochemical imbalance" in manic patients? It is, in fact, the now-familiar brain-disabling effect we first saw described in regard to the lobotomizing impact of the neuroleptics. Because this is so disillusioning, the typical textbook of psychiatry makes no mention of the many studies of lithium effects on animals, and the average psychiatrist knows little or nothing about it.
After this unexpected finding in guinea pigs, did Cade then set up a series of scientifically controlled studies in animals? No need for that, when he had ready access to human guinea pigs in the local state mental hospital. He quickly discovered that he could subdue hospital inmates as easily as he did the guinea pigs, making them into more docile inmates. He himself admitted in his pioneering report that the drug produced a nonspecific leveling effect:
An important feature was that, although there was no fundamental improvement in any of them, three who were usually restless, noisy and shouting nonsensical abuse ... lost their excitement and restlessness and became quiet and amenable for the first time in years. (italics added)
So, my response to this proposal to put lithium into the public drinking water in this country? A hearty "hell no!", thank you very much!
While its prescription, carefully monitored by medical professionals, may be of help to a few people, the last thing Americans need right now is to be more unaware of what is going on around them than they already are