Karl Elsener (inventor) his grandson Carl Elsener senior (1922-2013) and his great-grandson Carl Elsener Jr. (born 1958) led the Victorinox company. Karl Elsener (inventor) Karl Elsener (9 October 1860 - 26 December 1918) was a Swiss cutler, inventor and entrepreneur. Karl Elsener completed an apprenticeship as a knife maker in Zug. After some journeyman years he opened a factory in Ibach, Switzerland in 1884 for the manufacture of knives and surgical instruments. He invented the Swiss army knife in 1891 and developed his knife manufacturing company into what has become Victorinox. From 1912 to 1918 Elsener was a member of the cantonal parliament
Karl Spiro of physical chemistry at the University of Basel, where he also served as director of the institute for physiological chemistry. In 1897 he invented "Pyramidon", the trade name for aminopyrine. With Arthur Stoll, he is credited with the isolation of ergotamine. His name is associated with "Spiro's test"; a test for the determination of ammonia and urea in the urine through the use of barium oxide and petroleum. Karl Spiro Karl Spiro (June 24, 1867, Berlin – March 21, 1932, Wimmenau) was a German biologist, and physical chemist. In 1889 he received his PhD from the University of Würzburg as