# Hairspray, Cigarettes and the Wild History of the Asthma Puffer

An episode of [No One Saw It Coming](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1805005780), 3 Nov 2025, 26 min.

Audio: https://mediacore-live-production.akamaized.net/audio/02/e9/Z/p1.mp3

It’s small enough to fit in your pocket and it’s saved countless lives. The asthma puffer has had a long journey, stretching back thousands of years to various treatments including asthma cigarettes. But the asthma puffer as we know it today is all thanks to a young girl’s throwaway comment over breakfast in the 1950s. Dr Daniel Duke from Monash University tells Marc Fennell (Stuff The British Stole) about how the asthma puffer came into existence and how he fits into its long history as well. Binge all the episodes of No One Saw It Coming now on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. Get in touch: Got a story for us? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at noonesawitcoming@abc.net.au

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