Overview
Chloroform, or trichloromethane, is a compound used in research labs and the manufacturing of plastics like Teflon, though it was briefly used as an anesthetic in the mid-19th century before the potential for severe toxicity was acknowledged. There was a period of time in the late-19th century when some European elites, particularly in Paris, experimented with it for recreational use alongside ether and opium. However, compared to other substances, the window in which someone can experience euphoric effects is very small while the risk of fatal respiratory paralysis and organ toxicity is incredibly high.