Premedication in children. A controlled clinical trial of oral triclofos and diazepam.

A trial to compare a hypnotic (triclofos) with a tranquillizer (diazepam) as oral premedication was carried out on 200 children aged 2-9 years undergoing e.n.t. surgery. Atropine was added in all cases. Both drugs produced results as satisfactory as those reported in similar trials. Tridofos was better than diazepam if demeanour in the anaesthetic room, response to induction, and reflex responses are considered together, and it also had a better antisalivary effect. In the postoperative period both drugs were equally satisfactory in regard to freedom from drug-induced pallor or restlessness.