The Asthma Inhaler

Hi, my name is Sofia, and I work in Education here at The Bakken Museum.  I want to tell you a story about one of my favorite innovations that was previously featured in our Made in Minnesota exhibit.

So, for a long time, folks who had asthma had a hard time getting treatment. Most medications had to be poured into a pot, heated up, and then inhaled. But one day in 1955, a little girl named Suzie Maison asked her father, Dr. George Maison, "What if my asthma medication could work like my can of hairspray?" Dr. Maison worked on a new design, which was eventually sold to 3M, and thus, the metered dose inhaler was born.

There are lots of Minnesota based innovations, but Suzie's creative solution makes it one of my favorites. I also love that Suzie wasn't a professional engineer; she was a kid with a great imagination. She reminds me of Earl and a lot of the students we meet.