Sodium pentothal is a drug that contains psychoactive substances that affect the mind. Under their influence, a person speaks the truth. Sodium pentothal - what is it and what does it consist of?
Initially, this drug was used for anesthesia, since the substances included in the composition can slow down the neural activity of the central nervous system. In the right dosages, the drug causes drowsiness, and if overdosed, it can be fatal.
Truth serum contains many substances. This is not one drug, but different ones, which are combined into one group.
History of Appearance
Sodium pentothal began its history in 1913. One doctor, while taking delivery at home, introduced the patient to scopolamine. At that time, this substance was widely used as an anesthetic. After the birth, the doctor asked for a scale to weigh the baby, but the husband of the woman in labor could not find them, and he shouted: “Where are these scales?”, To which the woman clearly answered that they were “in the kitchen, behind the picture”, despite the fact that was in a semi-conscious state. The obstetrician did not immediately understand what had happened, but when the man brought the scales and said thatthey were located exactly in the place indicated by the wife, it dawned on the doctor that the injected substance had such an effect. After the use of scopolamine, the development of other drugs that can suppress the central nervous system and cause truthful answers to the questions posed.
Institutions that need to get the truth from interrogators now have the following "truthful" substances in their arsenal:
- scopolamine;
- sodium pentothal;
- mescaline;
- Anabasine and others.
After the Texas case, "truth drugs" began to be used in the interrogation of criminals. The first test subject was a prisoner from Dallas. The results were stunning. Subsequently, they decided to improve the drug by creating a "truth serum".
Scopolamine as the main substance of truth
"Truth Serum" is based on scopolamine. It is an alkaloid derived from plants of the nightshade family (datura, nightshade, henbane, etc.) Scopolamine is a white powder, easily soluble in liquid.
When the drug is administered, the pupils of the patients dilate, the heartbeat quickens, smooth muscles relax, sweating decreases. Scopolamine also has a sedative 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 s alt. Has anticonvulsantaction, greatly relaxes the muscles, blocks the impulses of the central nervous system. Also, the substance has a hypnotic effect, changes the structure of sleep. With the right dosage, it can depress 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 the Indians to obtain the truth during the rite of repentance. In the United States, they became interested in him and began to use him to suppress the will and obtain information from prisoners. The experiments were carried out in concentration camps.
Using Serum Today
Sodium thiopental (pentothal) is not used in forensic investigations these days. "Truth Serum" is prohibited for use not only for ethical reasons, but also for other reasons.
This is the appearance of hallucinations after the administration of substances. Often, when using the "truth serum", the suspects did not tell the truth, but what they thought. Due to the action of the psycho-substance on the brain, hallucinations arose, which some people perceived as reality. And when answering questions, they did not tell the truth, but described their visions.
It is difficult to choose the right dosage of the substance. Even the most experienced experts cannot always determine the required amount for the interrogated person to tell the truth.
Overdose is fatal.
Despite the fact that many countries of the world still resort to "truth serum", it has not become widely used. It is usually usedin extreme cases. The last recorded use of the substance during interrogation was in 2008.
Some people are looking for an answer to the question of how to make sodium pentothal with your own hands. No way. It's a complex chemical.
Now sodium pentothal is just a movie drug that uses "truth serum" during interrogations. In reality, its use did not give the desired results, so it was abandoned, although some countries use it on rare occasions. However, under the influence of sodium pentothal, it is easy for a person to inspire any information. Subsequently, he perceives it as a reality, as if everything that was said happened to him. Because of this, in America they refused to use the substance, and everything that was said under the influence of the sodium pentothal drug is not evidence of the defendant's guilt.
