The Synergism of Phenobarbital, Dilantin Sodium and Other Drugs

Pharmacologically the history of the treatment of epilepsy may be divided into several epochs. The first, which was inaugurated in 1853, lasted until the introduction of phenobarbital and may be called the era of the bromide treatment. Bromides undoubtedly reduced the epileptic attacks but on the whole did not represent a very efficient form of therapy, and their effective use was hindered by the frequent occurrence of bromidism. The second era came with the introduction of phenobarbital in 1912. The profession recognized that this drug was more successful than bromides in the treatment of epilepsy, and in a short time bromides receded to a position of secondary importance. The third era is very recent in origin and is characterized by the introduction in 1938 of dilantin sodium by Merritt and Putnam,¹whose work established the specific value of this drug. It is certain that there is no unified condition