ALLERGY TO PROCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE WITH THREE FATALITIES

Abstract
This report deals with three fatalities encountered by us during the past year, resulting from an immediate reaction to procaine hydrochloride. Several other severe but nonfatal reactions were seen by us during the same interval but are not included in this paper. These three cases are reported for the following reasons: to emphasize that fatalities may result from procaine hydrochloride; to indicate the possible mechanism of these reactions; and, finally, to discuss the classification, recognition, and treatment of such allergic conditions. As far back as 1924, the American Medical Association, realizing that reactions from local anesthetic drugs deserve investigation, appointed a committee to study and report on the subject. This committee reported 43 deaths from local anesthetic drugs, of which 26 were due to procaine hydrochloride and cocaine hydrochloride, and two were due to procaine hydrochloride alone.1 Fourteen more fatalities due to such agents were added in a report

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