Why chloroform is used

Also called trichloromethane, chloroform is prepared through the chlorination of methane gas. It was first prepared in by the American chemist Dr. Samuel Guthrie, who combined whiskey with chlorinated lime in an attempt to produce a cheap pesticide. In , the Scottish physician Sir James Young Simpson first used the sweet-smelling, colorless, non-flammable liquid as an anesthetic. When administered by dripping the liquid onto a sponge or cloth held so that the patient inhaled the vapors, chloroform was seen to have narcotic effects on the central nervous system, and produced these effects relatively quickly.

On the other hand, there were higher risks associated with chloroform than with ether, and its administration required greater physician skill. There were early reports of fatalities due to chloroform, beginning with a year-old girl in Skill and care were required to differentiate between an effective dose enough to make patient insensible during surgery and one that paralyzed the lungs, causing death. Fatalities were widely publicized, and the risks involved led some patients facing surgery to decline anesthesia and brave the pain.

American military doctors began using ether as an anesthetic on the battlefield during the Mexican-American War , and by it was officially issued by the U. Though many army doctors and nurses had experience with using ether by the time of the Civil War , chloroform became more popular during that conflict, due to its faster-acting nature and a large number of positive reports of its usage during the Crimean War in the s.

During the Civil War, chloroform was used whenever it was available to reduce the pain and trauma of amputation or other procedures. Usage of ether and chloroform later declined after the development of safer, more effective inhalation anesthetics, and they are no longer used in surgery today. Chloroform in particular came under attack in the 20th century, and was shown to be carcinogenic by ingestion in laboratory mice and rats.

It is now used mainly in the preparation of fluorocarbons, used in aerosol propellants and refrigerants; it is also found in some cough and cold medicines, dental products including toothpaste and mouthwashes , topical liniments and other products. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us!

Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. Her experiences as a nurse during the Crimean War were foundational in her views about sanitation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Overview CAS No. Some examples of workers at risk of being exposed to chloroform include the following: Workers involved in paper manufacture or recycle industries Service employees exposed to some air conditioner refrigerants Equipment operators working at sanitary landfills Workers who work in water treatment plants NIOSH recommends that employers use Hierarchy of Controls to prevent injuries.

Manual of Analytical Methods. Health Hazard Evaluations. This report increases awareness and recommends work practices to reduce exposures. NIOSH Revised Recommended Chloroform Standard Occupational Health Guideline for Chloroform —This guideline is intended as a source of information for employees, employers, and those in the health professions who need more information on exposure to chloroform.

Hydrocarbons, Halogenated No. Therefore, a number of water disinfection processes including chlorination of drinking water, waste water and swimming pools contribute to the formation and release of chloroform into the environment. Disinfection processes at pulp and paper plants are also potential sources of chloroform. People may be exposed to chloroform by breathing contaminated air or by eating food containing chloroform.

Drinking water may also be a source of exposure to very small amounts of chloroform. Workers involved in the production and use of chloroform and those working at sites where chloroform is indirectly produced for example water treatment plants , may be exposed to higher levels of chloroform than the general population. However, safe limits are enforced to protect the employees; such levels are below those that are thought to cause harmful effects.

The presence of chloroform in the environment does not always lead to exposure. In order for it to cause any adverse health effects, you must come into contact with it. You may be exposed by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance or by skin contact. Following exposure to any chemical, the adverse health effects that you may encounter depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed dose , the way you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the form of the chemical and if you were exposed to any other chemicals.

Inhalation of chloroform vapours may lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath and dryness of the mouth and throat. Ingestion of chloroform can cause a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, nausea and vomiting. Chloroform can be absorbed into the body via ingestion or inhalation.

Symptoms include excitement and nausea followed by dizziness and drowsiness. More severe exposures to chloroform may cause heart problems, fitting, unconsciousness and in some cases death.

Delayed effects up to 48 hours after the exposure of acute toxic chloroform exposure are liver and kidney damage. Skin contact with chloroform may lead to irritation and inflammation of the exposed area. Exposure of the eyes to chloroform vapour may cause a stinging sensation, and eye contact with liquid chloroform can cause immediate pain and inflammation.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that there is enough evidence in experimental animals, but not in humans that chloroform can cause cancer. Therefore, it has classified chloroform as possibly having the ability to cause cancer in humans. People with breathing problems such as asthma may be more sensitive to the effects of chloroform. Available evidence does not indicate that exposure to chloroform during pregnancy will have a direct effect on the unborn child.

However, if the exposure to chloroform causes the mother to become unwell this may affect the health of the unborn child.