Felix Hoffmann

Felix Hoffmann (January 21, 1868 – February 8, 1946) was a German chemist notable for re-synthesizing diamorphine (independently from C.R. Alder Wright who synthesized it 23 years earlier), which was popularized under the Bayer trade name of "heroin". He is also credited with synthesizing aspirin, though whether he did this under his own initiative or under the instruction of Arthur Eichengrün is highly contested.

Biography

Felix Hoffmann was born on January 21, 1868 in Ludwigsburg, the son of an industrialist. In 1889 he started studying chemistry at the Ludwig- Maximilians- University of Munich to study pharmacy and ended it in 1890 with the pharmaceutical state exam. In 1891 he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Munich. Two years later he earned his doctorate, also magna cum laude, after completing his thesis entitled "On certain derivatives of dihydroanthracene". In 1894, he joined Bayer as a research chemist.

On August 10, 1897, Hoffmann synthesized acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) while working at Bayer under Arthur Eichengrün. By acetylating salicylic acid with acetic acid, he succeeded in creating acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in a chemically pure and stable form. The pharmacologist responsible for verifying these results was skeptical at first, yet once several large-scale studies to investigate the substance's efficacy and tolerability had been completed, it was found to be a pain-relieving, fever-lowering and anti-inflammatory substance. The company then worked to develop a cost-effective production process that would facilitate the promising active ingredient to be supplied as a pharmaceutical product. In 1899 it was marketed for the first time under the trade name Aspirin, initially as a powder supplied in glass bottles.

Felix Hoffmann (illustrator)

Felix Hoffmann (born 18 April 1911 in Aarau; died 16 June 1975) was a Swiss graphic designer, illustrator and stained glass artist. He created countless illustrations for children's books, illustrations from literature (including the only one of Thomas Mann authorized illustration of The Magic Mountain), and stained glass windows, frescoes, and Etchings.

Churches with Hoffmann's stained glass windows

Literature

Children's books

Illustrations for Brothers Grimm tales:

External links