MEASURES introduced for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have two points of major interest and value. First, any treatment which may mitigate the symptoms and contribute to the rehabilitation of persons suffering with this disorder possesses intrinsic merit. Second, the demonstration that an agent, or a combination of agents, can modify certain manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis may further contribute to the over-all knowledge of the pathologic physiology of this disease of unknown etiology. It appears warranted, therefore, to report at this time data which indicate that p-aminobenzoic acid and acetylsalicylic acid, in appropriate combination, are capable of producing beneficial effects in a significant proportion of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.
The considerations which led to the use of this particular combination of therapeutic agents stem largely from a long-range study of the clinical effects of p-aminobenzoic acid. This substance is a member of the B-complex group of vitamins