from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
chloral hydrate \chloral hydrate\ n.
1. a chemical substance ({CCl3.CH(OH)2}) which is a hydrate
of trichloroacetaldehyde. It crystallizes as white
monoclinic plates, obtained by treating chloral with
water. It produces sleep when taken internally or
hypodermically, and is used in medicine as a hypnotic and
sedative; -- called also {chloral}
Note: It may be habit-forming, and is a controlled substance
listed in the U. S. Code of Federal Regulations. It is
sometimes used to render a person unconscious for
illegal or nefarious purposes, and in this use, a
concentrated solution is one of the agents called
{knockout drops}.
[PJC]