In 1897, Felix Hoffmann at Bayer synthesised acetylsalicylic acid, later marketed as aspirin. It became one of the most widely used medicines in the world. Although not an anticoagulant like heparin or warfarin, its later antiplatelet use made it central to preventing heart attacks and strokes.

The synthesis of aspirin in 1897 entered everyday life as a modest symbol of relief, pain control, and modern domestic medicine. Its ordinariness matters artistically because it brought scientific medicine into the bedside routines of writers, readers, and performers, influencing how poets approached themes of health and well-being.