And you thought NyQuil would give you a good night's sleep

[Scooter]

Give me the cough syrups of days gone by:

[RayThom]

“It's not the cough that carries you off--it's the coffin they carry you off in.” ― Robert Leland Taylor

[Big RR]

I bet it works.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Even in the 60s and 70s, we tried to get hold of Dr. Collis' brown cough mixture - even though by then the key ingredients had been busted down to morphine and peppermint oil. Chemists were very suspicious and it was difficult to buy more than one bottle.

The following is taken directly from a 1924 pharmaceutical catalog from Parke-Davis:

CHLOR-ANODYNE "Each fluid ounce of Chlor-Anodyne contains: Morphine hydrochloride, 2 7/8 grains; fluid extract cannabis, U. S. P., 46 minims; chloroform, 46 grains; oil peppermint, 1 1/2 minims; tincture capsicum, U. S. P., 3/4 minim; diluted hydrocyanic acid, 9 minims.

This preparation, owing to the fact that it contains morphine in more than the legally exempted proportion, is subject to the operation of the narcotic law; but, unlike other preparations in our list which have been discontinued because of the irksomeness of the law as applied to them, Chlor-Anodyne is in such demand that its discontinuance is out of the question.

The original of this formula was evolved by Dr. J. Collis Browne, of the British army in India, in 1848, as a remedy for cholera. So successful was "CHLORODYNE" (for that was the name of the original preparation) in the hands of Dr. Browne that it rapidly acquired professional favor, notwithstanding the fact that its composition was kept a profound secret. The London Board of Health in 1864 expressed its approval of the preparation as a remedy for cholera in the following language: "So strongly are we convinced of the immense value of this remedy that we cannot too forcibly urge the necessity of adopting it in all cases."

Then began the era of pharmaceutical guesses as to the formula of chlorodyne. Twenty years later more than twenty different chlorodynes were on the market. In so far as these formulae, or the majority of them, agree, they were made the basis of our open formula preparation, Chlor-Anodyne, and to this groundwork we added tincture capsicum and fluid extract cannabis for their anodyne and carminative effects.

Chlor-Anodyne is prescribed in cholera infantum, cholera morbus, diarrhea, dysentery, biliary or renal colic, neuralgia, and pain in general, particularly abdominal pain of a paroxysmal character.

It must of course be borne in mind that pain has a certain diagnostic value, and that its immediate relief may not be so important as a rational interpretation of its significance. There is no reason, however, why it should not be dealt with from both points of view.

The usual dose of Chlor-Anodyne, for an adult, is 15 minims, to be repeated in half an hour if necessary. In severe diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, or colic, it may be necessary to increase the dose to 25 or 30 minims. Dilute the dose freely with water. The solution has a very pleasing flavor. Chlor-Anodyne is supplied in 1-ounce, 4-ounce and 16 ounce bottles." --- Manual of Therapy - 1924- Parke Davis & Co. Page 147

[Big RR]

Up until a few years ago (probably still, but pharmacies don't want the hassle, you used to be able to buy cough medicine containing codeine from a pharmacy over the counter (although a record was kept of the purchase). The two brands I recall were Novahistine DH and Terpinhydrate, and both were excellent cough suppressants.

I've never seen the Dr Collis syrup in the US, but could imagine the inclusion of morphine (an opiod) would be a reasonably good treatment for diarrhea as opiods routinely induce constipation in patients using them. And I would think the morphine would make it available by prescription only as a Schedule II drug--the codeine cough medicines were schedule V.

[BoSoxGal]

Give me the cough syrups of days gone by:

I’ll take a case, thank you!

[Big RR]

No that I look at it, did people really drink chloroform? I think the m refers to minims (slightly more than .0002 Fl ounces or about a drop), but that is pretty hazardous to even smell, let alone consume.

[BoSoxGal]

Apparently it was once common in products like that - and I’m sure overuse led to organ damage/failure, which is the prime dangerous side effect of chloroform. Of course like any other anesthetic, it can cause pretty immediate death if overdose causes severe depression of the respiratory system.

Here’s an interesting document I found about contemporary environmental chloroform exposure in MN; I’m betting it’s present elsewhere given it’s a byproduct of chlorination:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/r ... rminfo.pdf