Althesin and thiopentone: a clinical comparison

Althesin was compared with thiopentone in a double blind study of 200 patients undergoing gynaecological operations. Althesin in a dose of 0.05 ml/kg was found to be an excellent induction agent, virtually devoid of undesirable side effects; however, when used as the principal anaesthetic (supplemented only by 66 per cent nitrous oxide in oxygen), the incidence of disturbing movements was high. Recovery time from Althesin was one-third of that after thiopentone. The patients recovering from Althesin were remarkably clearheaded with a low incidence of "hangover".