Chloroform, discovered in 1831 by three independent researchers - an American, a German and a Frenchman - has had multitude of roles. This engaging and entertaining book traces the social, medical and criminal history of the drug.

Initially viewed with suspicion, chloroform gained immense popularity after it was administered to Queen Victoria during childbirth. Used in the Crimean, Punjab and American Civil wars, it saved thousands of soldiers from suffering extreme surgical ordeals. Chloroform was also used to treat asthma and cholera, as a rather dubious 'cure' for gonorrhoea and as a sweetener in medicines. However, the price of this anaesthesia was many sudden, inexplicable deaths under surgery, which caused years of passionate controversy.

On an even more sinister note, chloroform featured in thefts, rapes and murder. W.T. Stead, editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, decided to expose the trade in young girls by 'buying a virgin' - chloroform was administered to her to prevent her fear when he entered her room. Chloroform was also used by America's first serial killer and in the mysterious death of a Texan millionaire.

The fascinating story of an extraordinary substance, used and abused since its first discovery, Chloroform: The Quest for Oblivion includes previously unpublished research and will be essential reading for anyone intrigued by true crime or interested in social and medical history.