Arthur Eichengrün the invention of aspirin in 1897. Impure acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, the active compound of aspirin) had been synthesized already in 1853 by French chemist Charles Frédéric Gerhardt; the 1897 process developed at Bayer was the first to produce pure ASA that could be used for medical purposes. Due to the rise of the Nazis in Germany, Eichengrün was unable to object when Hoffman first made the claim that "he" (Hoffman) invented aspirin, in the footnote of a 1934 German Encyclopedia. Hoffman's claim was once widely accepted, but many historians now consider it to be discredited. Eichengrün first claimed to have
Asa C. Matthews Asa C. Matthews Asa Carrington Matthews (March 22, 1833 – June 14, 1908) was an American lawyer, judge, and politician. Born in Pike County, Illinois, Matthews went to the public schools. He went to McKendree College and Illinois College. In 1857, Matthew was admitted to the Illinois bar. During the American Civil War, Matthew served in the 99th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He then practiced law in Pittsfield, Illinois. Matthews was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives and served as the speaker. Matthews was a Republican. He also was appointed Illinois Circuit Court judge in 1885. Matthews also served