During the course of his career, polish chemist Tadeus Reichstein achieved several remarkable breakthroughs in the field of organic chemistry that remain significant even today, almost a century thereafter. Millions of people around the world still use the fruits of his research each day of their lives, be it while undergoing a treatment for a medical condition, taking a vitamin supplement, or just sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Most people do not take the time to reflect upon the painstaking research that went into making their lives comfortable and pain-free, or to appreciate the efforts of the people who achieved these breakthroughs. This is the story of one such person, Tadeus Reichstein, who dedicated his life to discovering ways to help people become, and remain, healthy.

The story begins on July 20th, 1897, in Wloclawek, Poland. Tadeus Reichstein was born to father, Isidor Reichstein, and mother, Gastava...