82 Years Ago, Alka Seltzer Was First Launched2 photos

82 years ago, Alka Seltzer was first launched. In the mid-1920s, the American pharmaceutical company Dr. Miles Laboratories in Indiana began working on creating easily soluble tablets. However, initial attempts were unsuccessful. In January 1928, during an influenza and cold epidemic, the company’s president, Hub Bardсли, learned that a local newspaper editor had for years been using a successful but mysterious method to protect his staff from illnesses. Bardсли met with him and asked for the secret of this miraculous elixir. It turned out to be a simple mixture of aspirin, soda, and lemon juice. With this recipe, Bardсли instructed his laboratory staff to turn this “flammable mixture” into a tablet. On February 21, 1931, a new cold medicine called Aspir-Vess was introduced in American pharmacies—later renamed Alka-Seltzer. It was soon promoted as an effective remedy for various illnesses. Not only did it help with colds and flu, but it also relieved headaches, stomach pain, and indigestion. Later discovered side effects—relief from hangovers and prevention of delirium— further increased its popularity. This is how successful brands are created: even small contributions to solving people’s problems lead to tremendous success.