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Alfred Einhorn

German chemist (1856-1917) · Scientists · Died at 61

Alfred Einhorn was a German chemist most notable for first synthesizing procaine in 1905 which he patented under the name Novocain. Until that time the primary anesthetic in use was cocaine, however its undesirable side effects led scientists to seek out newer anesthetic drugs.

Alfred Einhorn is read about 13 times a day, in 14 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 19 June 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.

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National Inventors Hall of Fame2007

About this person

Novocain was found to be comparatively safe and effective, although its anesthetic effects were weaker than cocaine and some patients proved highly allergic. However, none of the other anesthetics developed during this period proved more effective and Novocain quickly became the standard local anesthesia. Although its use has largely been replaced by lidocaine, it is still in use today, most frequently in dentistry.

Category
Scientists
Type
Scientist
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1856 to 1917 · aged 61