Hippocrates actually knew the effects of “aspirin”. There are historical records dating to his time (between 460 B.C.E. and 377 B.C.E) that indicate the usage of a pain reliever that was made from the bark and leaves of the willow tree. In 1829, scientists discovered that a certain compound found in the willow tree, called salicin, is what promotes pain relief. There was a problem in that the salicylic acid in the willow plant made ingesting this compound tough on the stomach. In 1899, a German chemist, Felix Hoffman, discovered how to weaken the effects of this strong acid without a reduction in pain relief power. Hoffman then sold his new drug to Bayer. When aspirin was first marketed, it was in the form of a powder. In 1915, Bayer produced the first aspirin tablet, and the rest, they say, is history.