Chloroform, a natural and synthetic compound, also known as trichloromethane, was first made in the laboratory in the years 1831 and 1832 by three different chemists working independently. While their methods of synthesis differed, a photochemical reaction between methane and chlorine is today used to create chloroform. Chloroform's anesthetic properties were first discovered in 1847, but it is no longer used for such purposes due to the damage it causes to the liver and kidneys.