Depending on society's trends and needs, individuals started to use Aspirin as a remedy for more and more medical conditions. It is, in point of fact, typical for a drug to be overshadowed by the interests of its promoters, the needs of its users, and its adverse effects. It is, thus, not surprising that particular substances come to be used for purposes other than those for which they were initially intended. The world of medicine is beneficial in this situation because it assists people in trying to use substances that are actually useful for them (Wolfe & Sasich & Hope). Present day society appreciates aspirin because it is one of the best, non-narcotic, and nonprescription remedy for most kinds of pains, allergies, and inflamations. Many doctors are likely to recommend the substance for people who feel light pain and who want to choose one of the easiest methods of getting better. While Aspirin is acknowledged as the perfect drug in certain circumstances, doctors are unable to understand its effects completely. "It apparently reduces the temperature by reducing the body's blood flow and increasing the process of perspiration. It also has an effect in the relief of pain, with a selective depressant effect on part of the brain" (Carlisle, 329).

Aspirin use has experienced serious breakdowns in the second half of the twentieth century as the pharmaceutical world presented people with several pain relievers that did not have the side effects characteristic to acetylsalicylic acid. Despite that Gerhardt and Hoffman brought serious contributions to ameliorating the effects that the substance had on people's stomachs, they were unable to fully remove its negative effects. This did not stop Aspirin from being widely commercialized. As it was typical for the substance, people discovered new reasons for using the drug and it rapidly found another medical niche. Because Aspirin reduces the chances one has to experience blood clotting and because it is effective in maintaining blood supply to the heart and brain, it is frequently used by individuals who suffer from these conditions. Low doses of Aspirin...

According to recent studies, the drug is effective in numerous other situations, as it reduces the risk of colon cancer, slows down the multiplication rate of the AIDS virus, and is likely to prevent people from experiencing nerve damage.
Aspirin's initial role as a fever and pain reliever eroded through time, but its ability to slow down and to prevent a significant number of diseases makes it unlikely for it to be removed from the market in the near future. The invention of Aspirin is most probably one of the most important technologies of the twentieth century.

Works cited:

1. Andermann, Anne Adina Judith, "Physicians, Fads, and Pharmaceuticals:A History of Aspirin

2. ," Retrieved September 23, 2011, from the McGill Faculty of Medicine Website: http://www.medicine.mcgill.ca/mjm/v02n02/aspirin.html

3. Carlisle, Rodney P. "Scientific American inventions and discoveries: all the milestones in ingenuity -- from the discovery of fire to the invention of the microwave oven," John Wiley and Sons, 2004.

4. Cohen, Suzy, "From Hippocrates To Hoffman, How Aspirin Got To Be In Bottle," Retrieved September 23, 2011, from the Orlando Sentinel Website: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2000-06-13/lifestyle/0006120354_1_aspirin-acetylsalicylic-acid-swallowing

5. Haven, Kendall F. "One hundred greatest science inventions of all time," Libraries Unlimited, 2006.

6. Lombardi, Raymond M. "Aspirin alternatives: the top natural pain-relieving analgesics," BL Publications, 1999.

7. Swan Harding, Thomas, "The popular practice of fraud," Ayer Publishing, 1976.

8. Millwood, Charles L. "New research on aspirin and health," Nova Publishers, 2006.

9. Wolfe, Sidney M. Sasich, Larry D. Hope Rose-Ellen "Worst pills, best pills: a consumer's guide to avoiding drug-induced death or illness," Simon and Schuster, 1999.

10. "Aspirin," Retrieved September 23, 2011, from the Lemelson MIT Website: http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/hoffman.html