As for Novocaine, I reported it that way because that’s the way the radiologist used it — no doubt as a bow to lay usage. (Better to use terminology that the patients will understand than to be technically correct, unless there is some substantive issue in the matter.)

In present-day medical usage (in the US anyway) the fluid in the joint is called “synovial fluid” and the lining membrane of the joint is called “synovium”. As a pathologist I’ve seen hundreds of specimens of both, with various abnormalities, and I see Isigned them out all historically wrong.

If the “egg white” etymology were correct, then the word would appear to be formed from Greek syn- and Latin ovum, since there is no v in Attic Greek, and would be one of those bastard Greco-Latin coinages purists inveigh against. I reflect on this injunction every time I drive my autokinete to work, or get my hemospherin checked. (These are actual modern Greek Katharevousa words.)

The word “Novocaine” is archaic, since procaine (trade name Novocaine) went out of use as a local anesthetic about 60 years ago. The usual local anesthetic today is lidocaine (trade name Xylocaine) – there are several others but that’s the most common one – but neither word has replaced “Novocaine” in lay usage.