A paper by Joanna Moncrieff and Laura Allison in the journal History of Psychiatry reviews “the theory and practice of emergency sedation for behavioural disturbance in psychiatry in the mid-twentieth century, and the emergence of the concept of ‘rapid tranquilization’” by antipsychotics. “… Research suggests that antipsychotics became the mainstay of rapid tranquillisation strategies because of beliefs about their specific therapeutic properties in psychosis and schizophrenia” they write, “and not because of demonstrated superiority over other agents.”
Allison, L., Moncrieff, J.; ‘Rapid tranquillisation’: an historical perspective on its emergence in the context of the development of antipsychotic medications. History of Psychiatry. March, 2014. 25(1) 57069
