Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
he discovery of penicillin in 1928 ushered in a new age in medicine. But it took a team of Oxford scientists headed by Howard Florey and Ernst Chain four more years to develop it as the first antibiotic, and the most important family of drugs in the twentieth century. At once the world was transformed-major bacterial scourges such as blood poisoning and pneumonia,
scarlet fever and diphtheria, gonorrhea and syphilis were defeated as penicillin helped to foster not only a
medical revolution but a sexual one as well. In his wonderfully engaging book, acclaimed author Eric Lax tells the real story behind the discovery and why it took so long to develop the drug.He reveals the reasons why credit…
Most of us, if asked who discovered penicillin, would answer that it was
Alexander Fleming. The answer is correct as far as it goes. Most of us would probably also think that having discovered how… Eric Lax has written a fine and very readable book about the story of penicillin. I found myself not able to put it down. Eric Lax has put in perspective where the true credit should be for the…
