Sodium pentotal, or What is the "serum of truth"

Sodium pentothal is a drug that contains psychoactive substances that affect the mind. Under their action, a person speaks the truth. Pentotal sodium - what is it and what does it consist of?

Initially, this drug was used for anesthesia, since the constituent substances are able to slow the neuronal activity of the central nervous system. In the right dosages, the drug causes drowsiness, and in case of an overdose it can lead to death.

The "truth serum" includes many substances. This is not one drug, but different, which are united in one group.

The history of the appearance of

Sodium pentotal began its history in 1913.One doctor, taking home delivery, introduced the patient scopolamine. At that time, this substance was widely used as an anesthetic. After giving birth, the doctor asked the scales to weigh the child, but the husband of the woman in childbirth could not find them, and he shouted: "Where are these scales?", To which the woman clearly replied that they were "in the kitchen, behind the picture", despite the fact thatwas in a semi-conscious state. The obstetrician did not immediately understand what had happened, but when the man brought the scales and said that they were exactly at the place indicated by the wife, it occurred to the doctor that such an action had been brought by the substance introduced. After using scopolamine, the development of other drugs that can suppress the central nervous system and cause truthful answers to the questions posed.

Now in the arsenal of institutions that need to receive the truth from the interrogated, there are the following "truthful" substances:

• scopolamine;
• sodium pentothal;
• mescaline;
• anabasine and others.

After the Texas case, "drugs of truth" began to be used when interrogating criminals. The first test was a prisoner from Dallas. The results were stunning. Subsequently, the drug was decided to improve by creating a "truth serum".

Scopolamine as the main substance of truth

"Serum of Truth" is developed on the basis of scopolamine. This alkaloid, obtained from plants of the family Solanaceae( datura, nightshade, whitened, etc.) Scopolamine is a white powder, readily soluble in the liquid.

When the drug is administered, the pupils dilate, palpitations increase, smooth muscles relax, sweating decreases. Scopolamine also has a soothing and hypnotic effect. After its use, all people have amnesia.

Sodium thiopental

This preparation is a mixture of thiobarbituric acid with sodium carbonate, ethyl and sodium salt. Has an anticonvulsant effect, greatly relaxes muscles, blocks the pulses of the central nervous system. Also, the substance has a hypnotic effect, it changes the structure of sleep. When properly administered, the dosage can inhibit the respiratory center, reducing sensitivity to carbon dioxide.

Mescaline

In the last century, the substance mescaline was popular. It was obtained from a cactus. Initially, mescaline was used by Indians to obtain truth during the ritual of repentance. In the US, they became interested in it and began to use it to suppress the will and obtain information from prisoners. The experiments were conducted in concentration camps.

Serum use today

Nowadays, thiopental sodium( pentothal) is not used in legal investigations."Serum of Truth" is prohibited for use not only for ethical reasons, but for other reasons.

This is the appearance of hallucinations after the administration of substances. Often, when using the "truth serum", the suspects did not speak the truth, but what they thought. Due to the action of psycho-material, hallucinations appeared on the brain, which some people perceived as reality. And when answering questions they did not speak the truth, but described their visions.

It is difficult to choose the correct dosage of the substance. Even the most experienced specialists can not always determine the necessary number, so that the interrogated told the truth.

Overdose leads to death.

Despite the fact that many countries of the world still resort to the "truth serum", it did not apply widely. Usually it is used in extreme cases. The last registered use of the substance during the interrogation was recorded in 2008.

Some people are looking for an answer to the question about how to make sodium pentotal with their own hands. No way. It's a complex chemical.

Now pentotal sodium - this is just a drug from the movie, in which during interrogation apply the "truth serum".In reality, its use has not yielded the desired results, so it was abandoned, although some countries use it in rare cases. However, under the action of sodium pentotal, it is easy for a person to instill any information. Subsequently, he perceives it as a reality, as if all that has been said has happened to him. Because of this, in America they refused to use the substance, and everything that was said under the action of the sodium pentothal drug is not proof of the defendant's guilt.