Chloroform Immediately Knocks People Out for Several Hours
This is yet another myth that movies have perpetuated. Let’s say you’re watching a movie, and the scene goes like this: the victim walks to their car in a parking lot, unlocks it, and gets inside without knowing that their would-be kidnapper is hiding in the backseat. The moment they sit down, the kidnapper grabs them and puts a chloroform-soaked handkerchief over their nose, which knocks them out for hours.
Even though in movies, chloroform is often used to take down enemies quickly, it is important to remember that real life is not a movie. In the real world, chloroform is highly poisonous and can be deadly if mishandled. Also, the effects of chloroform are usually not immediate. It would take many minutes for someone to lose consciousness from inhaling chloroform.