Twilight sleep
Twilight Sleep
Twilight sleep (pronunciation: twi·light sleep) is a term that originated in the early 20th century to describe a state of anesthesia induced by a combination of scopolamine and morphine. The term is derived from the German Dämmerschlaf and was first used in the context of childbirth.
Etymology
The term "Twilight sleep" is a translation of the German Dämmerschlaf. Dämmer means "twilight" or "dusk" and Schlaf means "sleep". The term was coined in the early 20th century to describe a state of semi-consciousness induced by a combination of drugs, primarily scopolamine and morphine, during childbirth.
Usage
Twilight sleep was used to induce a state of amnesia and analgesia during childbirth. The woman would be semi-conscious, but would not remember the pain of childbirth. The practice was controversial and eventually fell out of favor due to concerns about the safety and ethics of using such powerful drugs during childbirth.
Related Terms
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Twilight sleep
- Wikipedia's article - Twilight sleep
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