Acute barbiturate poisoning

Abstract

One of the landmarks of twentieth century medicine and therapeutics was undoubtedly the synthesis of the first barbituric acid derivative with hypnotic properties. Barbitone, the dethyl ester of barbituric acid (malonyl mea) was first synthesized by Professor E. Fischer and Professor J. Mering in 1902. After a series of controlled tests on animals and humans, a year later, barbitone was exhibited on the market as Veronal, and was advertised widely as the panacea for all forms of insomnia and anxiety. Barely four years later, in 1906, the first fatality due to acute barbiturate poisoning following an overdosage of barbitone, was recorded.