Charles H. Phillips

The Charles H. Phillips Chemical Company was a prominent 19th-century pharmaceutical manufacturer, most famous for developing Phillips' Milk of Magnesia. Founded by English pharmacist Charles Henry Phillips in Stamford, Connecticut, the company patented its signature magnesium hydroxide formulation in 1873. This product revolutionized the treatment of acid indigestion and constipation, becoming one of the most recognizable over-the-counter brands in the world. The company was acquired by Sterling Drug in 1923 and subsequently passed through various corporate hands, including Sanofi and eventually Bayer. Today, the brand continues to be a leader in the digestive health market under Bayer's consumer health division. The company's legacy is defined by its early innovation in stable liquid mineral suspensions for medicinal use.