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GEDEON RICHTER (1872 - 1944) |
The introducer of large-scale Hungarian pharmaceutical production was born in Ecséd, attended college in Budapest, and underwent a lengthy West-European study-tour. He returned home and at a small pharmacy in Budapest he commenced experimenting with and preparing pharmaceutical products. They were initially comprised of products prepared from animal parts through organotherapy.
From this pharmacy he developed and built the Richter Gedeon Pharmaceutical Factory, which shortly became world famous. The factory's first significant success was the pill "Kalmopyrin" patented in 1912, and the antiseptic pill called "Hyperol" was in great demand during World War I.
The factory's high standards and continuous improvements were only temporarily interrupted by World War II, but in 1944 the founding scientist became the victim of racist persecution. However, his fellow colleauges rebuilt the factory in commemeration of his spirit.
Digitalis production (1912)
The Richter Gedeon Pharmaceutical Factory obtained a patent in 1912 to produce the active agents of digitalis.
Digitalis is the collective name of steroidglycosids found in the group of plants known as the foxgloves. These plants had been used in popular medicine since the 12th century.
Two substances, digoxin and digitoxin, were