Choral hydrate is the oldest of hypnotic drugs and has been used extensively but intermittently since it was introduced as an anesthetic agent by Liebreich* in 1869. It was first synthetically produced by Leibig* in 1832. Despite the fact that this drug has been employed for approximately 75 years, very few reports of adverse reactions from its use have been made. In a review of the American literature we have been able to find only three reports since 1900, the most recent one being that by Baer and Sulzberger1 in 1938. Reactions to chloral hydrate are so infrequent that the drug is not listed in some texts on allergy and dermatology, nor is it mentioned in articles on eruptions due to drug therapy. Many authors state that reactions to chloral hydrate are very rare.†
We are reporting seven cases of allergic reactions to chloral hydrate, two additional