None of us like to suffer pain. Several home remedies were tried and tested since time immemorial to find substances that would alleviate pain. After a considerable number of trials, a French chemist called Charles Henri Leroux isolated the miracle drug salicylic acid in 1829. This drug could relieve pain and fever. The process of its isolation was later improved by an Italian, Raffaele Miria, in 1838.
In 1853, Charles Frederic Gerhardt buffered salicylic acid with an extra acetyl group to create acetylsalicylic acid, the true aspirin. However, true aspirin was soon forgotten. Its more recognizable tablet form was created by Felix Hoffmann, a German chemist.
Gerhardt’s findings were rediscovered by Hoffman who later patented it. He also managed to solve many of the problems associated with earlier preparations. For instance, previously when administered with salicylic acid, patients used to experience severe nausea and vomiting. In the late 19th century, when the pharmaceutical company Bayer realised the potential of aspirin, they bought its patent and began mass production.
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