Palatability of liquid major tranquillizers

Those with mental disorder in later life may reject medication for various reasons. In the case of liquid medication this may be due not to mental disturbance or swallowing difficulty but to unpalatability of the medication. Thirty volunteers blind‐tasted four major tranquillizer liquid medications and a palcebo. Not one of the active preparations was thought to be pleasant, each being associated with bad immediate or delayed taste. Undesirable taste may be a valid cause for rejection by patients of any age. As liquid medication is prescribed more frequently for elderly than for younger patients, palatability should be considered.