Inventor. He was a chemist, who was the co-inventor in 1879, with Dr. Joseph Lawrence, of Listerine, an American brand of antiseptic mouthwash. A solution of thymol, eucalyptol, menthol and alcohol, Listerine was at first thought to be a cure for a host of ailments including bad breath, which it did cure. Listerine was named in honor of a British surgeon, Sir Joseph Lister, who was the first person to perform an antiseptic surgery on August 12, 1865. Later, Listerine was aggressively marketed by his son, Gerard Barnes Lambert, becoming in 1914 first over-the-counter mouthwash sold in the United States. While a student at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, he showed his flair for chemistry and business. He became connected with the wholesale drug house of A.A. Mellier and soon became its head bookkeeper and confidential clerk to the head of the house. While acting in this capacity, he also made a study of the chemistry of the drug business, becoming an expert in that department. As a result of his researches in this field, he discovered the formula for the manufacture of Listerine, which at once found favor with the medical profession and with the general public. In 1881 he organized the Lambert Pharmaceutical Company and was president of the corporation from its inception until his death. Lawrence eventually sold most of his interest in Listerine to Lambert, but would receive millions of dollars' worth of royalties. Lawrence relocated to New York. Some sources give Lawrence full credit for inventing Listerine. Lambert's obituary did not give him credit for inventing Listerine.
Inventor. He was a chemist, who was the co-inventor in 1879, with Dr. Joseph Lawrence, of Listerine, an American brand of antiseptic mouthwash. A solution of thymol, eucalyptol, menthol and alcohol, Listerine was at first thought to be a cure for a host of ailments including bad breath, which it did cure. Listerine was named in honor of a British surgeon, Sir Joseph Lister, who was the first person to perform an antiseptic surgery on August 12, 1865. Later, Listerine was aggressively marketed by his son, Gerard Barnes Lambert, becoming in 1914 first over-the-counter mouthwash sold in the United States. While a student at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, he showed his flair for chemistry and business. He became connected with the wholesale drug house of A.A. Mellier and soon became its head bookkeeper and confidential clerk to the head of the house. While acting in this capacity, he also made a study of the chemistry of the drug business, becoming an expert in that department. As a result of his researches in this field, he discovered the formula for the manufacture of Listerine, which at once found favor with the medical profession and with the general public. In 1881 he organized the Lambert Pharmaceutical Company and was president of the corporation from its inception until his death. Lawrence eventually sold most of his interest in Listerine to Lambert, but would receive millions of dollars' worth of royalties. Lawrence relocated to New York. Some sources give Lawrence full credit for inventing Listerine. Lambert's obituary did not give him credit for inventing Listerine.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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