George Rieveschl (January 9, 1916 – September 27, 2007) was an American chemist and professor. He was the inventor of the popular

antihistamine Antihistamines are drugs which treat allergic rhinitis, common cold, influenza, and other allergies. Typically, people take antihistamines as an inexpensive, generic (not patented) drug that can be bought without a prescription and provides ...

diphenhydramine Diphenhydramine, sold under the brand name Benadryl among others, is an antihistamine and sedative. Although generally considered sedating, diphenhydramine can cause paradoxical central nervous system stimulation in some individuals, particula ...

(

Benadryl Benadryl is a brand of various antihistamine medications used to stop allergy, allergies, whose content varies in different countries, but which includes some combination of diphenhydramine, acrivastine, or cetirizine. It is sold by Kenvue and ...

), which he first made while searching for potential muscle relaxant drugs.

Early life and education

Born in Arlington Heights, Ohio, Rieveschl was the son of George and Alma Hoffling Rieveschl. He initially attended the Ohio Mechanics Institute, graduating in 1933, before earning bachelors, masters, and PhD degrees in chemistry at the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...

(UC).

Career

After receiving his PhD in 1940, Rieveschl returned to the University of Cincinnati where he served as a professor of chemical engineering, and later a professor of materials science. At the university, he led a research program searching for potential muscle relaxant drugs. In 1943, one of his students, Fred Huber, synthesized diphenhydramine. Rieveschl worked with Parke-Davis to test the compound, and the company licensed the patent from him. In 1947 Parke-Davis hired him as their director of research. While he was there, he led the development of a similar drug, orphenadrine. Rieveschl remained active in the

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

-area science and arts community until his death at age 91 from pneumonia. He had contributed an estimated $10 million to his alma mater, according to a UC spokeswoman. The main life sciences building on the campus of the University of Cincinnati is named for Rieveschl.

References

1916 births 2007 deaths American chemical engineers Scientists from Cincinnati University of Cincinnati alumni University of Cincinnati faculty Deaths from pneumonia in Ohio People from Lockland, Ohio Engineers from Ohio 20th-century American engineers 20th-century American inventors {{US-scientist-stub