Amphetamines were first considered useful in treating hyperactive children when Charles Bradley gave them to students in 1937

The notion that stimulants might be beneficial for hyperactive children arose in 1937, when Charles Bradley gave a newly synthesized amphetamine, Benzedrine, to hyperactive children who complained of headaches. Although the drug didn’t cure their head pain, Bradley reported that it “subdued” the children and helped them concentrate better on their schoolwork. The children dubbed Benzedrine the “arithmetic pill.” Even today, Schools have found Ritalin to be useful in subduing hyperactive students and making them more easily manageable.

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References

• Whitaker, Robert. (2010). Anatomy of an Epidemic Chapter 11 The Epidemic Spreads to Children (Epub p. 299). New York , NY: Crown Publishing.

Metadata

Type:🔴 Tags: Psychiatry / Biology / Neuroscience Status:☀️