Medical Time Capsule: Bromide
This panel presents a nice view of outdated medicine:
scene from Worlds of Fear #8 (1953)
For the better part of the twentieth century, bromide (potassium bromide) was a common treatment for anxiety and other “nervous afflictions.” Potassium bromide was first used medically in the 1850s as a successful treatment for epilepsy1. By the turn of the century, its beneficial effects in treating anxiety were also noted — most of which were probably due to its sedative effects. Extremely common, bromide was found not just in prescription medications of the time, but in over the counter remedies as well.
In the Merck Manual, 7th Ed., published in 1940, potassium bromide was listed as the preferred medication for treating anxiety and hysterics. Here’s more of what the Merck Manual listed under Potassium Bromide2:
Over time, the use of bromide became less and less common. Newer, more potent medications with fewer side effects were developed. Chronic bromide toxicity (bromism) was also recognized as a very real problem. By the Merck Manual, 11th Ed. (1966), the drug isn’t even mentioned. In 1975, potassium bromide was withdrawn from the medicinal market in the United States3.
1. It was felt by experts at the time that potassium bromide worked to prevent seizures because it lowered the sex drive, and as everyone knew, epilepsy was due to masturbation. Thus, lower sex drive → less masturbation → fewer seizures. Which is, of course, all utter nonsense — except that the drug actually worked, for reasons that wouldn’t be determined until well into the 20th century (and masturbation had nothing to do with it).
• Along the same line, much like the urban legend about saltpeter, it was rumored that potassium bromide was added to soldiers’ food in the army to lower their sex drive (which would seem a poor choice given the drugs sedative properties).
2. Don’t feel bad, I had to look up a couple of these terms myself.
3. Potassium bromide is still used to some extent in other countries, and is still used in the United States in veterinary medicine to treat seizures.
August 25th, 2011 at 1:29 am
I prefer to treat hysteria using the traditional 19th century method. :)
August 25th, 2011 at 1:34 am
Outdated medicine, but a spot-on illustration of the effect of bromides (idol pictures) on fans of Japanese actors.
August 25th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Dames! Always with the hysterics.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
There’s an old joke about two ancient pensioned-off WWI veterans sitting on a park bench. “Harry,” says one, “you know that bromide they gave us in 1914 to make us stop thinking about women?”
“Yep.” says Harry.
“Well, I think it’s finally beginning to work.”
August 26th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
I work for a veterinary hospital and I can say with full confidence that never has a dog’s owner called us to report any canine masturbation once the pet started the potassuim bromide. Then again, maybe companion animal masturbation goes under-reported in this country?
August 26th, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Bromides have also remained in the language as a term for trite over-used phrases that don’t really have any meaning behind them.
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