ABSTRACT
Trichloroethylene was discovered in 1864 by Emil Fischer in the course of preparing tetrachloroethane (TCE). The new volatile compound was subsequently used as a degreaser for machinery and as a solvent for organic products. The toxicity in the industrial use of trichloroethylene, consisting of some cases of trigeminal analgesia, was reported in 1915 by W. Plessner. The first medical use of trichloroethylene was dictated by the analgesia encountered in poisoning, that is, to treat trigeminal neuralgia. TCE is used in the boat, shoe, textile, and chemical industries, in painting and enameling, photography, polishing of optical lenses, and extraction of caffein from coffee. TCE is one of the solvents contained in cleansing fluid, glue, and aerosol products that are abused by teenagers. Most of the animal experiments relating to metabolism of TCE do not consist of administering the solvent by inhalation. The use of TCE as a general anesthetic and as an analgesic is based on its narcotic properties.
