Yellow magic

the long version

The story of penicillin is one of the most exciting in modern-day medical science. Three years ago there was not enough of it in the United States to treat a single patient adequately. Now there is a sufficient amount for our Army, our Navy and our Allies, as well as a moderate supply for civilians. This spectacular change has been brought about through the untiring efforts of many groups. Indeed, it is a unique example of collaborative efforts -- scientific, industrial and administrative. It has been remarked many times that penicillin is the most remarkable anti-bacterial agent that has been discovered up to the present time. It is worthy of this reputation because it is so powerful against many different microbes and it is non-toxic. In this book, Mr. Ratcliff tells us in a most interesting way how penicillin was discovered and developed from the laboratory and test-tube stage through the stage of clinical testing and trials, to the present-day commercial production. - Foreword.