Heroin, one of the most feared drugs of modern times, was invented as a cough suppressant and was sold in pharmacies until 1971
In the 19th century, tuberculosis was one of the deadliest diseases. They did not know how to treat it, everything was reduced to suppression of symptoms, first of all coughing. Medics and chemists worked on the creation of an effective cough remedy. And in 1874 the substance diacetylmorphine was synthesized, which not only coped well with cough, but also increased the mood of patients.
In 1898, the pharmaceutical company Bayer AG began selling it under the name “heroin”. Cough syrups containing heroin were sold in pharmacies in Europe and the United States.
This is a rather curious fact, which today the pharmaceutical giant Bayer does not publicize.