March 26, 2004
Antabuse (disulfiram)
From Medline Plus:
Disulfiram is used to treat chronic alcoholism. It causes unpleasant effects when even small amounts of alcohol are consumed. These effects include flushing of the face, headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, weakness, blurred vision, mental confusion, sweating, choking, breathing difficulty, and anxiety. These effects begin about 10 minutes after alcohol enters the body and last for 1 hour or more. Disulfiram is not a cure for alcoholism, but discourages drinking.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, on its History and Mission page drawn from White’s Slaying the Dragon, notes that, in 1948:
Disulfram (Antabuse) [was] introduced as an adjunct in the treatment of alcoholism in the U.S. Other drugs used in the treatment of alcoholism during this period include barbiturates, amphetamines (Benzedrine), and LSD.
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