In the U.S., however, aspirin is what Mother gives you when you complain of a headache. Also, aspirin is the trade name for acetylsalicylic acid. How aspirin got its name is interesting reading. Just about all children below five, bubble with curiosity and like candy. One grain of aspirin per pound of body weight is considered a toxic dose, according to Dr. Paul Palmisano of FDA's Bureau of Medicine.
Most aspirins contain five grains per tablet.
That is a question that has challenged scientists ever since aspirin was first introduced as a medicine in the 1890s. By using laboratory animals, reasearchers are hoping to learn how aspirin really works. The results of one series of tests are shown in the graph. The black curve represents the control group that got no aspirin.