Science
Anxiety. It’s something everyone experiences at some point in their lives, but for centuries doctors had no effective way to treat it. They could send patients on rest cures, order them to do nothing at all, or prescribe barbiturates that depressed the central nervous system, easily leading to overdose and death.
Finally, in the mid-1950s, chemists discovered a new class of drugs: the minor tranquilizers. The most famous of these was Valium, which would go on to become the most prescribed drug in the United States.
But Valium owes its success to its lesser known predecessor Miltown, which changed the way Americans thought about anxiety.
Support us by supporting our sponsors:
Policy Genius - policygenius.com can help you compare insurance quotes to find your best price.
Wealthfront - When you visit wealthfront.com/ai to start earning 19 times more interest on your savings.
More Episodes
2025-06-23
2021-11-11
2021-08-12
2021-07-15
2021-06-17
2021-05-27
2021-04-29
2021-02-25
2021-01-14
2020-11-26
2020-11-19
2020-08-27
2020-07-30
2020-07-02
Get this podcast on your
phone, FREE
