George Speri Sperti (January 17, 1900, Covington, Kentucky – April 29, 1991, Cincinnati, Ohio) was an Italian-American who invented Preparation H hemorrhoid medication.
His invention of an ultraviolet lamp to irradiate milk and add Vitamin D without changing the flavor was sold to General Foods for US$300,000.
Sperti donated the entire amount to the University to continue basic research,[2] and went on to develop a successful business line of ultraviolet sunlamps.
An accidental application of it resulted in a huge market as Preparation H. The primary active ingredient in his invention was a compound containing a live yeast cell derivative (LYCD), which Sperti named Bio-Dyne.
The Food and Drug Administration later discovered clinical testing irregularities in the use of LYCD, and it was removed from the formulation sold in the United States.