How were bromide compounds used as sedatives before barbiturates?

Beginning in the 1800s, liquid solutions of bromide salts were the first substances introduced specifically for use as sedatives and hypnotics. These compounds, which included bromides of potassium, sodium, calcium, strontium, lithium, and ammonium, were widely prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, including sleeplessness and epilepsy.123

These medications functioned by depressing the central nervous system to reduce tension and anxiety or to induce sleep. Their medical prominence persisted throughout the late 19th century until the early 20th century, when they were largely replaced by the development of barbiturates. The term "bromide" eventually evolved in common usage to describe a trite or dull remark, reflecting the sedative, sleep-inducing reputation of the original chemical compounds.123