Novocaine as an Anaesthetic

What was novocaine?

Novocaine was developed in 1903, and was often used as a local anaesthetic.

Who developed novocaine?

Novocaine was developed by Alford Einhorn, a German chemist. He originally intended it as an anaesthetic for surgery.

How was novocaine used?

Although Einhorn had originally developed it to use in surgery, novocaine was mostly used in dentistry until the 1940s.

What was the significance of novocaine?

Novocaine was a significant development.

• ❖ It was a safer alternative to other local anaesthetics, such as cocaine.
• ❖ It was one of the first man-made anaesthetics. Its name is taken from 'nova', the Latin for 'new'.