Homer Burton Adkins (16 January 1892 – 10 August 1949) was an American chemist who studied the hydrogenation of organic compounds.

After receiving his degree, he began work as a research chemist for the United States Department of War.

In the following academic year, Adkins served as an instructor in organic chemistry at Ohio State University and in the summer of 1919 he was a research chemist with E. I.

A widely known textbook, “Elementary Organic Chemistry” was co-written by Adkins and published by McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Classified documents at the time revealed Adkins and his colleagues describing their research on agents to produce blistering, vomiting, tearing and sneezing.

Adkins also studied the removal of the effects of poison agents by using multiple different kinds of chemicals and ointments, combined with protective clothing for soldiers.

[7] Due to the magnitude and effect of his work, Adkins was a recipient of the Medal for Merit in 1948 for his wartime studies.

While he was a graduate student at the Ohio State University, Adkins married Louise Spivey, who was a classmate of his at Denison and who was teaching high school mathematics.

[8] Teaching, maintaining a large research program, and war time pressure took a heavy toll on Adkins' strength.

[8] While playing a game of golf in the late spring of 1949, Adkins suffered a minor heart attack.

After a meeting with other interested chemists regarding his research, Adkins suffered a larger heart attack and was hospitalized for roughly a month.