A controlled clinical trial of meprobamate in the management of difficult and destructive female mental defectives.

MEPROBAMATE is the shortened name of 2-Methyl-2-n-Propyl-l,3 propanediol dicarbamate, which is also known as Miltown or Equanil. Previously published reports (1—5)on clinical trials of this drug have concerned its effect on patients suffering from neurotic and psychotic disorders. As far as we are aware no reports have been published of its effects on mentally defective patients. The clinical trial was part of a long-continued search for a drug to control the behaviour disorders of mental defectives without affecting their level of consciousness. The behaviour of the patients chosen for inclusion had failed in each case to respond over the years to a large range of sedative drugs including, most recently, nine cases who had failed to respond to Largactil (chlorpromazine hydrochloride) and four cases who had failed to respond to Rauwiloid (Rauwolfia serpentina).