Benzedrine Alerts

Benzedrine was supposed to be the pep in the German Army's pep pills (TIME, Sept. 14, 1942),* and is indubitably the drug that causes periodic tantrums among college deans when cramming students take overdoses. Benzedrine, a chemical relative of adrenalin, also may bring eyes back to normal after the use of oculists' drops, relieves hangovers, clears the brain of mental fog.

The Air Surgeon's office last week called benzedrine the best drug "for temporarily postponing sleep when desire for sleep endangers the security of a mission." Times to use benzedrine: when a pilot cannot keep awake; when gunners on night patrols lose their vigilance; when exhausted combat troops must keep at fighting pitch for 30 hours or more.

Air surgeons have found that it is often a good idea for every member of a crew on night patrol to carry two five-milligram benzedrine pills, take one if he is mentally exhausted (e.g., in the case of a pilot), two if he is physically exhausted. Men should wait for the exhaustion point before taking benzedrine, because the drug works best if it is taken then. Doses can be repeated, but nobody should take more than 30 milligrams in one week. Sleep postponed by a "benzedrine alert" must be made up later on. To end a benzedrine alert, take a mild sedative.

*The German Army's drug turns out to be Pervitin, a close relative of benzedrine.

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