A B S T R A C T Lithium chloride administration to growing rats, which resulted in circulating lithium levels of 1.4 meq/liter, was attended by significant suppression of bone mineralization and organic matrix synthesis as assessed by tetracycline labeling and histological quantitation of osteoid, respectively. These effects of lithium were not associated with changes in animal behavior, nor were there any significant differences in blood levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, pH, or parathyroid hormone. The data suggest that lithium inhibition of bone mineralization is secondary to suppression of osteoid formation.

Our investigation demonstrated that women's preferences for a gynecologist were divided equally between preferring a male, a female, and having no preference. Our study did find, however, that about half of the female patients preferred a male surgeon.

Summary. Twenty iliac crest cadaver specimens were obtained from 7 females and 13 males, ages 57-85 years, to empirically test the mathematically derived conversions of linear perimeter to threedimensional area-volume ratios and to test the Delesse principle for volume. The scaling factor for linear perimeters was measured by coating the specimens with fast green stain. A weight per area coating constant was calculated and directly applied to the weight of coating on bone. External volume was measured by calipers and trabecular volume was measured by displacement. All data were repeated on the same specimens and correlated with standard histomorphometric technique. Our direct and histomorphometric measurements of volume on the same specimens showed almost identical means and were highly correlated (r = 0.992, P < 0.001). The direct and histomorphometric measures of surface density were also highly correlated (r = 0.980, P < 0.001). A comparison of values derived from 20 and 60 fields was run on the histomorphometric determinations of volume and surface density. The extremely high correlations for volume (r = 0.995, P < 0.001) and surface density (r = 0.998, P < 0.001) suggest that 20 fields are sufficient for these two measurements. The conclusions were that (a) Delesse' principle can be accurately applied to trabecular bone; (b) stereologic measures of bone volume are highly accurate; (c) inter-and intrapatient variation is due largely to sample site variation; (d) the direct measurement of trabecular surface was no different than the histomorphometric one; and (e) the conventional scaling factor of 4/7r (1.273) is correct and is nearly identical to the empirically derived factor of 1.199.Send offprint requests to R. R. Recker at the above address.

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would extend for at least three years after treatment; (5) outcome status would be based on the prior 12 months of functioning; and (6) outcome classifica¬ tions would be objectively defined and verified by two independent interview¬ ers. Very few existing evaluations of abstinence-oriented treatments could meet even half of these criteria, and the alleged standard recovery rate of60% to 65% quoted by Dr Maltzman amounts to a speculation based on little more than hearsay. The fact remains that in the only three studies to date that have randomly assigned patients to absti¬ nence vs controlled-drinking goals,4"6 no long-term outcome differences have been observed.We regret that our data were prema¬ turely quoted and interpreted in this fashion. We' are in the process of

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