In 1856, Henry Perkin's attempt to synthesize quinine led to something very different: a vibrant purple dye. Perkin’s mauve revolutionized the fashion industry when Queen Victoria wore a dress of the color to her daughter's wedding. And in an ironic twist, synthetic fabric dyes ultimately led to synthetic drugs, including the first antipsychotic. This drug, known by its trade name Thorazine, was a gamechanger. “Nobody thought there could be a drug that would treat schizophrenia effectively,” says sociologist Andrew Scull, “and then suddenly there was.” In this episode we explore the enduring relationship between dyes and drugs, and the role that mistakes and serendipity still play in drug development. Credits Host: <a href="https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/alexis-j-pedrick">Alexis Pedrick</a> Executive Producer: <a href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/mariel-carr">Mariel Carr</a> Producer: <a href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/rigoberto-hernandez">Rigoberto Hernandez</a> Associate Producer: <a href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/sarah-kaplan/">Sarah Kaplan</a> Audio Engineer: <a href="https://www.podbrain.org/" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jonathan Pfeffer</a> “Color Theme” composed by <a href= "https://www.podbrain.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener">Jonathan Pfeffer</a>. Additional music by <a href="https://www.sessions.blue/" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blue Dot Sessions.</a>

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Dyes, Drugs, and Psychosis

Distillations | Science History Institute

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