This Popular Medicine Was Invented Here in Minnesota

It's a common household pain reliever you might have in your medicine cabinet. But did you know it got its start here in Minnesota?

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is home to many top-rated, Fortune 500 companies today. Massive firms like Cargill, Target, Best Buy, 3M, United Health Group and others all have their corporate headquarters here in the Minnesota.

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And, a lot of common products, some we use every day, were also invented here in Minnesota. In fact, the Minnesota Reformer notes the following are just a few of the products that all got their start right here in the North Star State:

• Furnace thermostat
• Snowblower
• Grocery bag with handles
• Pop-up toaster
• Skyways
• Snowmobile

But did you know that this common over-the-counter medicine also was invented here in Minnesota? It's true, and if you've ever taken an Anacin, you're taking a pain reliever that's a true Minnesota native.

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According to this Chicago Museum story, Anacin was invented by a Minnesota chemist named William M. Knight back in 1915. He took the already popular drug aspirin and added acetaphenetidin (phenacetin), quinine sulfate, and caffeine. A year later, in 1916, Knight, who based his business in Minneapolis, marketed the new capsule and 'An-A-Cin' was sold for the first time.

A few years later, in 1918, Knight trademarked the name 'Anacin,' and in 1920 sold the booming business to another Minnesotan, Dr. Jay A. Heidbrink, the story said. His Minneapolis-based firm, the Heidbrink Company, would continue to market the medicine until 1935, when they sold it to a company in New Jersey.

READ MORE: This Common Household Item is Now Banned in Minnesota

Today, Anacin is owned by Prestige Consumer Healthcare, and is still made with similar ingredients:

Anacin contains two important ingredients – aspirin and caffeine – to deliver fast headache and pain relief. Caffeine complements and enhances aspirin's pain relieving action. Together, aspirin and caffeine work to deliver fast and effective headache relief when you need it most.

Keep scrolling to check out a classic Anacin TV commercial, as well as a list of other common foods and snacks you might not realize were also invented here in the Bold North. And be proud to be here in Minnesota!

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