CHLORAL HYDRATE

also called Trichloroacetaldehyde Monohydrate, a sedative-hypnotic drug that has the molecular formula CCl3CH(OH)2. Chloral hydrate is a transparent crystalline compound with a melting point of 57 C (135 F). It is commonly produced by the hydration of trichloroacetaldehyde. Chloral hydrate was first synthesized in 1832 but was not introduced into medicine until 1869, when Mathias E.O. Liebreich discovered its effectiveness in inducing sleep. Chloral hydrate acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, with sedative effects similar to those of barbiturates. A therapeutic dose (500 mg to 1 g) produces a deep sleep lasting four to eight hours with few aftereffects, but habitual use of the drug results in addiction. Symptoms of overdose may include deep stupor, dilation of blood vessels, fall in blood pressure and body temperature, and slowed respiration. In a severe overdose, death usually occurs within 5 to 10 hours.