Eli Lilly and Company September 18, 1970, rock guitarist legend Jimi Hendrix died from a secobarbital overdose. On June 22, 1969, secobarbital overdose was the cause of death of actress Judy Garland. The drug was a central part of the plot of the hugely popular novel "Valley of the Dolls" (1966) by Jacqueline Susann in which three highly successful Hollywood women each fall victim, in various ways, to the drug. The novel was later released as a film by the same name. Eli Lilly has developed the vaccine preservative thiomersal (also called merthiolate and thimerosal). Thiomersal is effective by causing susceptible bacteria to autolyze.
Jacqueline Susann and hosting work, Susann did commercials. In 1955, she became spokesperson for the Schiffli Lace and Embroidery Institute. Over the next six years, she wrote, produced, and starred in commercials which aired during such shows as New York's local "Night Beat" (DuMont's WABN), with Mike Wallace, and then nationally on such shows as "The Mike Wallace Interview" (ABC) and "The Ben Hecht Show" (ABC). Sometimes she was joined on the air by her poodle, Josephine. Susann energetically promoted the product, and made personal appearances on its behalf. One night in the early 1960s, as she was leaving a New York