Newsletters

The theme this month for the newsletter is academic unity, wonderfully demonstrated by the variety and breadth of our authors’ academic disciplines this month. Firstly, Australian psychiatrist, Greg de Moore, has written an article based on his and Ann Westmore’s book ‘Finding Sanity: John Cade, Lithium and the Taming of Bipolar Disorder’. The article touches on Cade’s stay in a prisoner of war camp in Changi and the impact that this had on his life, as well as two fascinating interviews carried out for the research of his book. Claire Hilton has also written a review of the book which is included in this issue.

Continuing on the theme of Lithium, but also of academic diversity, our next article is written by Alex Mendelsohn, a patient and physicist. This interesting account of Amdisen, who was responsible for the recommendation of 12h serum lithium levels, was spurred by the author’s own research after receiving conflicting medical information.

Next, Artists Susan Adams and Penny Hallas tell us about a project which celebrated the history of the abandoned Brecon and Radnor Asylum in Telgarth. This involved archival research, artist workshops with local Mind groups and at Bronllys Hospital, and culminated in ‘a Private Land Art Lab’, a 2 day event which involved co-produced and collaborative art, media and performance. It was clearly a fitting homage to the old hospital, and the lives of the patients, staff and members of the community who were connected to it.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Uttom Chowdhury, has delved into the history of medicine for the first time following an interesting encounter with a patient. He explores the history of plague and pandemic, and reflects on the mental health impact of mask wearing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Neurologist Andrew Larner discusses the life of Richard Rows, a war-time psychiatrist who was acknowledged as one of the first psychiatrists to link mental health and neurology, during his treatment of neurasthenia at Maghull Hospital, Liverpool.