Step 1: Note what the question asks.
We need a substance that works as both a strong sedative and painkiller for patients recovering from surgery.
Step 2: Check anti-retroviral drugs.
These are used against viruses like HIV. They are not painkillers, so this is wrong.
Step 3: Check interferon.
Interferons are proteins involved in antiviral defence and cancer therapy, not in pain relief, so this is wrong.
Step 4: Check antibiotics.
Antibiotics kill or stop bacteria. They do nothing for pain, so this is wrong.
Step 5: Check morphine.
Morphine is an opioid alkaloid from the poppy Papaver somniferum. It binds opioid receptors and is a powerful analgesic and central nervous system depressant.
Step 6: Conclude.
Because of its strong pain-relieving and sedative action, morphine is the drug given to post-surgery patients.
\[ \boxed{\text{Morphine}} \]