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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 24 of 24. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 1:38:00
According to Richard Davenport-Hines in his book "The Pursuit of Oblivion":
"Proprietary brands were marketed in Britain in capsules and elixirs under the trade names Parafynol, Dormison and Oblivon. Oblivon was known as 'the confidence pill' because it was advertised to help with such emergencies as public speaking, job interviews, asking for pay rises and visiting the dentist. There were reports of brides using Oblivon to gain confidence as they walked down the aisle to marry and of dogs being dosed with it on Fireworks Night. 'So many of my patients suffer from a lack of self-confidence,' a Surrey physician explained. 'Instead of facing their problems, reorganising their lives, they just beg for something to shield them from reality. I try to give them advice, but I can't leave my surgery to sort out their domestic problems. All I can do is give them a drug.' As many as a million of these sea blue capsules (costing fourpence each) were sold weekly until August 1955, when the supply of Oblivon in Britain was restricted to medical prescription."
My grandmother told me a while ago she was given these by the chemist for tension headaches. Does anyone else know of somebody who used to use them or similar drugs? Ahhh the good old days of Benzedrine inhalers sold in corner shops, opiates OTC at the pharmacy and Coca Cola laced with cocaine from the grocery store.............
Q
Posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 3:40:03
In reply to Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 1:38:00
Around 1960, when they played in Hamburg, the Beatles bought Preludin (phenmetrazine) OTC in West German chemist shops.
Diamorphine was available OTC in Australia before 1968 for the treatment of hangover ('draught') in unit doses, as were opium based cough mixtures, in bottles of reasonable size.
There has been a change from disorders of duty to disorders of appetite. (WWII and amphetamine.)The restrictions were not neccessary then. Things will change in the future.
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 10:35:42
In reply to Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 1:38:00
Hi Quinty
>My grandmother told me a while ago she was given these by the chemist for tension headaches...
How long is a while ago? :)
Ed
Posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2007, at 11:12:43
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol) » Quintal, posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 10:35:42
What did they use in the US? Love Phillipa
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:29:25
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol) » Quintal, posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 10:35:42
>How long is a while ago? :)
I asked her if she'd ever taken some of these old drugs back in 2002 when I first read the book. She recognised the Oblivon because she took that first to help her through the stress of her divorce, then her GP switched to Librium then Valium.......then temazepam. She's dead now so I can't ask her when she first started it. I suppose it was a popular remedy for young women who were 'bad with their nerves' at that time.
I've been looking at my mother's old psychology textbook from the forties. I should post a few excerpts here for fun. I'm sure you'll love as much as I do the section explaining how well the (then) criminal mental disorder homosexuality responds to the dosing of bromide salts.
Q
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 11:43:29
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol) » ed_uk, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:29:25
Hi Q
I have been trying to find out when Oblivon was discontinued. I didn't find any information although I suspect it was in the 1960s.
>I should post a few excerpts here for fun.
That would be interesting, please post some examples.
Ed
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:46:13
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 3:40:03
Sounds interesting Dec. I gather you've taken it yourself and thoroughly approve? An amphetamine-like stimulant with fewer side effects?
The trade name reminds me of Quaalude (methaqualone). I love this type of pharmacological nostalgia. Did you ever buy some of that diamorphine yourself? Did it actually work? I thought diamorphine was poorly absorbed from the GI tract?
Q
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:52:11
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2007, at 11:12:43
>What did they use in the US? Love Phillipa
Milltown? Quaalude?
Q
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 11:53:08
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » Declan, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:46:13
Hi Q
>I love this type of pharmacological nostalgia.
It's interesting that a lot of new drugs have brand names which suggest that they are very hi-tech, 'activating' or help to 'integrate patients back into the community. Just think of Abilify and Zyprexa.
Seroquel sounds like something from the 60s, a mixture of serene and tranquil. They might as well have called it Oblivon.
Ed
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 11:57:43
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » Declan, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:46:13
Hi Q
>I thought diamorphine was poorly absorbed from the GI tract?
True, it's not well absorbed. Neither is morphine for that matter. To produce equivalent analgesia, morphine needs to be given at considerably higher doses (2 to 6 times higher) when given orally compared with when it is given by IM or SC injection.
Ed
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 12:05:21
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » Quintal, posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 11:53:08
>Seroquel sounds like something from the 60s, a mixture of serene and tranquil. They might as well have called it Oblivon.
Yeah! At least the brand names were more honest, if brutal, in those days. Welldorm, Melleril, Quaalude ('quiet interlude' with the trippy, psychedelic double 'a' to attract the sixties youth).
I've often wondered about the wry humour of the people who named the British brand name sertraline 'Lustral' given its sexual dampening effects.
Q
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 12:19:37
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » Quintal, posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 11:57:43
I happened to have a pack of diamorphine ampuoles lying around a few years ago and it had no effect when I swallowed a quarter of the freezed dried powder. I also tried taking it sublingually and it had no effect. Maybe I didn't take enough?
Q
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 12:26:54
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » ed_uk, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 12:19:37
Hi Q
>I happened to have a pack of diamorphine ampuoles lying around a few years ago and it had no effect when I swallowed a quarter of the freezed dried powder. I also tried taking it sublingually and it had no effect. Maybe I didn't take enough?
It was probably just a case of not taking enough. It's oral bioavailability is low.
Ed
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 12:35:06
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol) » ed_uk, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 12:05:21
Hi Q
>I've often wondered about the wry humour of the people who named the British brand name sertraline 'Lustral' given its sexual dampening effects.
I've often wondered the exact same thing. Interestingly, the word 'Lustral' is in the 'Online Dictionary'.....
lustral
adj. Of, relating to, or used in a rite of purification.[Latin lustralis, from lustrum, purification]
Ed
Posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 13:05:05
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » ed_uk, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 12:19:37
Hi Q
I just sent you an email :) - not related to this thread.
Ed
Posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 13:44:27
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine) » Declan, posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 11:46:13
No, I was never able to buy diamorphine OTC, but a stockman told me 'Son, if you're ever crook after a night out, go tell the chemist and he'll take you out the back and give you some of this stuff called draught. You'll throw your guts up, but you will get better'. Much later I asked a pharmacist about it and he said that it contained bicarb of soda, aspirin, and diamorphine. Discontinuesd in 1968.
Preludin was better than amphetamine, IMO. Smoother. That was put off the market at the same time.
Posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 13:51:51
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol) » Quintal, posted by ed_uk on January 22, 2007, at 12:35:06
Out vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now?
also lustration, which has a theological ring. I'd like to look it up but finding the dictionary is beyond me.
Posted by halcyondaze on January 22, 2007, at 14:30:58
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 13:51:51
I've never heard of this but I want some. ;)
Posted by halcyondaze on January 22, 2007, at 14:35:36
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by halcyondaze on January 22, 2007, at 14:30:58
It has an interesting chemical structure but that's about all I could find:
<< http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/wiki/index.php/It:methylpentynol >>
When was this medication discontinued?
Posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 17:39:28
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by halcyondaze on January 22, 2007, at 14:35:36
Thanks for the link hal. We don't know when Oblivon was discontinued for sure but it is likely to have been sometime during the early sixties when benzos hit the market.
Q
Posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2007, at 19:23:47
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 17:39:28
I took Miltown which is mephbrobamate right? It worked great and I didn't even wean off the 450mg dose just stopped it no side effects at all. It knocked the panic attacks out with a total of l5mg of valium and three beers at night at the time. Very high functioning too so I suspect since my whole family has been on benzos and beer that maybe we all have a wierd gene? Love Phillipa
Posted by laima on January 22, 2007, at 21:11:32
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2007, at 19:23:47
Nice name for a relaxation pill, "Oblivon". Sounds like "Oblivion".
Posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 22:05:57
In reply to Re: Oblivon (methylpentynol), posted by Quintal on January 22, 2007, at 17:39:28
Oblivon was still in the MIMS here in the early 70s.
Posted by kelv on January 28, 2007, at 8:02:51
In reply to Re: Preludin (phenmetrazine), posted by Declan on January 22, 2007, at 13:44:27
> Preludin was better than amphetamine, IMO. Smoother. That was put off the market at the same time.
Sweden had a massive problem with Preludin abusers (it was the stimulant of choice). When it was removed, they moved on to other Stims, Dexamphetamine, Phentamine, Ritalin-which abusers would shoot~20+ tabs at once and repeat, staying up for days-week, the reason Sweden banned Ritalin in 1968.
BTW-Preludin turned on the Beatles to rock n roll in the early 60's
This is the end of the thread.
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