This article details the development of the drug Mandrax, its effects and side-effects, and prescriptive issues involved. One pill a day for two months is likely to produce physical dependence, and withdrawal can be fatal. Overdoses, especially when combined with alcohol, can prove fatal, even with the best efforts at resuscitation. The drug's manufacturers, Roussel, have acknowledged the risks involved with drug and have stopped marketing it, as well as reducing the size of packs available. The author advises doctors to take great care when prescribing this drug.