The effect of lithium on chronic alcoholism secondary to bipolar affective disorder has been studied on a total of 31 alcoholic pati¬ents, 11 of them having bipolar affective illness. All the patients were treated with lithium carbonate for a years duration. The results of this study has showed that lithium is significantly effective on chronic alcoholism only when it is secondary to bipolar affective ilness. In the control group where the primary ilness was alcoholism lithium treatment has been ineffective in controlling the serious drinking episodes.