Percain
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Percain is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless crystalline salt, the hydrochloride of butyloxycinchoninic acid diethyl ethylenediamine. It melts at 97°, is easily soluble in alcohol, and its solutions are temperature-stable and neutral. Percain is reported to be ten times stronger than cocaine. It is used for local anesthesia in 0.05% and 0.1% solutions for washing out painful wounds and cavities, and in 1/172% solutions with adrenaline for local anesthesia during operations. Following a period of enthusiasm, a reaction occurred due to the drug's high toxicity, which was confirmed by several fatal cases, leading surgeons to treat it with caution.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
Percain (Percain), the hydrochloride salt of butyloxycinchoninic acid diethyl ethylenediamine C0.NH.CH2.CH2.N(C2H5)2HC1. Colorless, tasteless, and odorless crystals. Melts at 97°, easily soluble in alcohol. Solutions are temperature-stable and neutral. It is indicated that Percain acts ten times stronger than cocaine. For local anesthesia in 0.05% and 0.1% solutions for washing out painful wounds and cavities, and for local anesthesia during operations in 1/172-172% solutions with adrenaline. After a period of enthusiasm for Percain, a reaction occurred, since the drug's high toxicity was established (several fatal cases were described), which caused surgeons to treat it with caution.
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Cite this page
“Percain.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/percain/