In 1930, pioneering British surgeon-anesthetist W. Howard Jones published his clinical experiences with a long-acting amide local anesthetic related to “butyloxycinchoninic acid diethlyethylendiamide.” That lengthy chemical designation would be abbreviated to dibucaine in the United States and cinchocaine internationally (“cincho” reflecting the chemical similarity to quinine). Dr. Jones published articles about this anesthetic initially under the brand name Percaine, but he predicted that Americans would brand it as Nupercaine. Indeed, from Summit, New Jersey, CIBA Pharmaceuticals would eventually distribute the 5 g bottles (above) bearing the trademark “Nupercaine.” (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.)
In 1930, pioneering British surgeon-anesthetist W. Howard Jones published his clinical experiences with a long-acting amide local anesthetic related to “butyloxycinchoninic acid diethlyethylendiamide.” That lengthy chemical designation would be abbreviated to dibucaine in the United States and cinchocaine internationally (“cincho” reflecting the chemical similarity to quinine). Dr. Jones published articles about this anesthetic initially under the brand name Percaine, but he predicted that Americans would brand it as Nupercaine. Indeed, from Summit, New Jersey, CIBA Pharmaceuticals would eventually distribute the 5 g bottles (above) bearing the trademark “Nupercaine.” (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.)
George S. Bause, M.D., M.P.H., Honorary Curator and Laureate of the History of Anesthesia, Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, Schaumburg, Illinois, and Clinical Associate Professor, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. UJYC@aol.com.
