George Sperti

Who is George Sperti?

George Speri Sperti was an Italian-American inventor, who invented Preparation H hemorrhoid medication. He also invented the Sperti Ultraviolet Lamp, Aspercreme for arthritis relief and KVa Power Meter.

Sperti graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1923. Shortly afterwards he was named Director of the Research Laboratory. His invention of an Ultraviolet "Vitamin D" lamp to irradiate milk to add Vitamin D without changing the flavor of the milk was sold to General Foods for US$300,000; Sperti donated the entire amount to the University to continue basic research.

He also invented the first practical technique to freeze-dry orange juice concentrate. He donated most of the money he received from 127 patents to the University of Cincinnati and the Institutum Divi-Thomae, which he founded in 1935 in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, with the purpose of researching cancer. A cell derivative believed to stimulate healthy cell growth was discovered at the school, and found a huge market as Preparation H. Preparation H as sold in the USA today is not the compound Sperti invented.