[Favorable effect of procaine administration in retrobulbar optic neuritis]

The author reports 12 cases of retrobulbar neuritis of recent onset in which intravenous procaine exerted unexpectedly an immediate favourable effect. The treatment consisted of intravenous drip infusion of 40 ml of 1% procaine in 400 ml of 5% glucose during 7 days. The author supposes that the therapeutic effect was due to the antiallgeric action of procaine (blocking of histaminergic receptors) and its spasmolytic influence.