Lem Billings was a chemist and one of President John F. Kennedy's best friends. He was given credit for the idea of Fizzies, a tablet that, when placed in water, released flavor and CO2 to create a soda drink with varying flavors. The product was created as an antacid medicine for children when first started by the Emerson Drug Company. When Lem Billings was asked for an idea to make these items more commercialized, he had the idea to add flavorings to the tablets and they became a quick-selling novelty type item. Fizzies were a hit in the 50's and 60's they returned in the 90's and were sold to bring back the memories to millions of, now grown, children who had grown up with the fizzy drink. 