Passage One

Americans this year will swallow 15, 000 tons of aspirin, one of the safest and most effective drugs invented by man. As the most popular medicine in the world today, it is an effective pain reliever. Its bad effects are relatively mild, and it is cheap.

Although aspirin was first sold by a German company in 1899, it has been around much longer than that. Hippocrates, in ancient Greece, understood the medical value of the leaves and tree bark which today are known to contain salicylates, the chemical in aspirin. During the 19th century there was a great deal of experimentation in Europe with this chemical, and it led to the introduction of aspirin. By 19l5, aspirin tablets(片剂) were available in the United States.

For millions of people suffering from arthritis, aspirin is the only thing that works. A small quantity of aspirin (two five-grain tablets) relieves pain and inflammation. It also reduces fever by interfering with some of the body’s reactions. Aspirin, in short, is truly the 20th-century wonder drug. On the other hand, it is also the second largest suicide drug and is the leading cause of poisoning among children. It has side effects that, although relatively mild, are largely unrecognized among users.

Aspirin is very irritating to the stomach lining, and many aspirin takers complain about upset stomach. There is a right way and a wrong way to take aspirin. The best way is to chew the tablets before swallowing them with water, but few people can stand the bitter taste. Some people suggest crushing the tablets in milk or orange juice and drinking that.