46 JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY NURSING 27:1 February 2001

A LOOK BACK: Nitroglycerine

Danger has never been a deterrent among researchers who are obsessed with following through onan idea. True scientists often have a manic side to them, and Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) was no excep-tion. Nobel’s life was dominated by the quest for new inventions. During the 1860s, Nobel found a wayto stabilize nitroglycerine, a highly powerful explosive. He called his invention “dynamite” after theGreek word, “dynamis,” which means “power.” Nobel’s experiments were exceedingly dangerous, and onseveral occasions, he inadvertently detonated his entire laboratory, leading authorities in several coun-tries to forbid further experimentation. Sadly, one of Nobel’s mishaps claimed the life of his onlybrother, Emil.

In one of the more curious coincidences of science, Nobel’s work with the explosive nitroglycerinealso became the very first synthesized medication in history. Workers exposed to nitroglycerine compounds noticed an increasein headaches, and the vasodilating properties of nitroglycerine compounds were documented. In 1867, Thomas Brunton suc-cessfully used amyl nitrate to treat patients with angina pectoris. Today, nitroglycerine remains the most commonplace treat-ment for chronic angina. Current research is focusing on the therapeutic effects of nitric oxide and endothelium-derived relax-ing factor for a variety of disease entities.

The legacy of Alfred Nobel lives on. Nobel wanted to reward human ingenuity for peaceful purposes, and in his will, heleft more than $3.1 million to establish a series of prizes in his name. They are still the most coveted prizes in history.Interestingly, Nobel experienced angina during his later years but adamantly refused to take nitroglycerine, considering it“medical quackery.”—Linda Manley, RN, BSN