The Solvent Diethylene Glycol Dissolved Patients and Killed a Hundred

A pharmacist’s bottle of sulfanilamide dissolved patients with a diethylene glycol solvent - who is responsible when no law requires testing? The Solvent Diethylene Glycol Dissolved Patients and Killed a Hundred In this episode, we trace a sequence of events from ancient antidotes to a 1937 pharmaceutical disaster to ask how societies decided who should guarantee a medicine’s safety. How did a legitimate antibiotic become a lethal elixir, and what gaps allowed it to reach pharmacy shelves? Person: Mithridates Event: Use and spread of Mithridatium/theriac Date: 1937 Location: United States Company: S.E. Massengill Company - Mithridates ingested small doses of poisons and compiled Mithridatium, a multi-ingredient antidote later known as theriac. - Theriac evolved into a widely sold medicine across Rome, Islamic medicine, and medieval Europe, appearing in the Leechbook of Bald. - Market incentives led merchants to adulterate or cut corners on medicines, creating invisible risks for patients. - Medieval and early modern authorities (Hisba, Frederick II, Florence, Spain, London) instituted standards and pharmacopoeias to inspect drug composition and makers. - In autumn 1937 S.E. Massengill bottled “Elixir Sulfanilamide” using diethylene glycol as a solvent; no law required safety testing and over a hundred deaths from kidney failure followed. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].