Original free sample of Bayer 205, suramin powder, Germany, 1926
Bayer 205, now known as suramin, is effective against micro-organisms called trypanosomes, which are responsible for tropical diseases such as sleeping sickness. The drug was on the market from 1920. Developed in 1916 by a team at the German dye manufacturers Frederich Bayer and Co., Bayer 205’s chemical composition was kept a secret from other drug manufacturers. This bottle was given out free of charge for clinical tests of the first production batch.
Object number:
A671732
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: bottle
Vessels having a neck and mouth considerably narrower than the body, used for packaging and containing liquid and dry preparations
Glossary: suramin
a nonmetallic drug that may be used in the treatment of sleeping sickness
Glossary: sleeping sickness
A serious disease that is common in much of tropical Africa, transmitted by tsetse flies. Symptoms include fever, headache, lethargy, confusion, tremors, and loss of weight.