Credit: Science Museum, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org ‘Veronal’ is the trade name for a barbiturate drug used to treat mental illness. ‘Veronal’ was the first commercially available barbiturate, sold from 1903 onwards, and was named after the Italian city of Verona.

Barbiturates were used to induce sleep by suppressing brain function and were also used as a hypnotic. They were popular up to the 1950s and were an improvement on their predecessors as the side effects were less severe – although unfortunately they could be extremely addictive. Barbiturates are only available on prescription.

maker: Bayer Products Limited

Place made: Germany made: 1903-1950 Published: -