Volwiler was a pioneer in the field of anesthetic medicine, developing two breakthrough drugs, Nembutal and Pentothal, which put patients to sleep for surgical or dental procedures. Beyond his brilliance as a scientist, Volwiler was instrumental in helping Abbott to achieve commercial success for its pharmaceutical products. He contributed to the commercialization of penicillin and sulfa drugs during World War II and produced top level financial returns for Abbott during his tenure as CEO.