Chloroform Research Paper

History
Chloroform also known as trichloromethane, had been in use as an anesthetic since 1861 when the American Civil War. Chloroform quickly became the favorite for military doctors because it was non-flammable and it took action quickly. Chloroform was first made in 1831 by American chemist Dr. Samuel Guthrie,whose intention was to create a cheap pesticide. It was first used as an anesthetic in 1847 by a Scottish physician named Sir James Young Simpson. Doctors were all for the use of Chloroform, but patients weren’t all too thrilled with the idea of “being put to sleep”, which caused them to hyperventilate or hold their breath and get a concentrated lungful. This could lead to cardiac arrest and death. Using Chloroform was “as safe as ice skating or
In 1853, the drug was given to Queen Victoria for the birth of her son, after this the drug became more popular with the masses. Chloroform was used through the 1940’s ,it later began to decline as newer and safer anesthetics were introduced, Chloroform is no longer used in surgery today due to its unpredictable nature. Chloroform was used in a number crime fiction works such as A Tale of Two Cities and at least three Sherlock Holmes stories. Chloroform aided multiple crimes from incapacitating a person to rob or rape to murder. It became borderline cliche for criminal use due to its popularity in crime fiction. What made Chloroform more popular than other poisons was that there was no way to find evidence of it in a corpse. Chloroform has since gone out of style as a criminal aid.It is now used mainly in the preparation of fluorocarbons, used in aerosol propellants and refrigerants; it is also found in some cough and cold medicines, dental products, topical liniments and other