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Pharmacology of Inhalants

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Abstract

The recreational use of gaseous and volatile substances is not a new phenomenon. In early western civilization Greeks inhaled gases for religious purposes (Brecher, 1972). The synthesis of nitrous oxide in 1776 by Priestly could be marked as the beginning of the modern era of inhalant abuse. In fact, its abuse preceded the announcement of a legitimate medical use as an anesthetic 20 years later by Priestly and Davy (Nagle, 1968). The misuse of nitrous oxide and the other early anesthetic agents, chloroform and ether (“ether frolics”), was fashionable in the 19th century. Not surprisingly, the modern, nonflammable, inhalational anesthetic halothane has been abused by medical personnel, and there have been reports of deaths (Spencer, Raasch, & Trefny, 1976).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Starch and Chemical Company, Bridgewater, New Jersey, 08807, USA

    Eric B. Evans

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  1. Eric B. Evans
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Ralph E. Tarter  & Peggy J. Ott  & 

  2. Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Robert T. Ammerman

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Evans, E.B. (1998). Pharmacology of Inhalants. In: Tarter, R.E., Ammerman, R.T., Ott, P.J. (eds) Handbook of Substance Abuse. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2913-9_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-2913-9_17

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