Barbital was the first pharmacologically active agent in the barbiturate class. It was synthesized by and Josef von Mering , who supposedly named it after the Italian city of Verona because they believed it was the most peaceful place on Earth. Unlike the harsh sedatives of the 19th century, Barbital offered:
: Mixing it with alcohol or other depressants significantly increases the risk of toxic buildup in the body. Where Is It Now? barbital
Despite its early praise, the "gentlest of poisons" revealed a dark side as it became more widely used throughout the 20th century: Barbital was the first pharmacologically active agent in