The Role of Chemistry in History

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Irish Luck

March 26th, 2008 · 1 Comment ·

Introduction| Irish Luck|A Brief History of Penicillin|

Penicillin and Bacteria| Penicillin Affects History: Thanks to Penicillin, He will Come Home!!|

History Affects Penicillin:|References|


 

He was a poor Scottish farmer. His name was Fleming. One day, while trying to make living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. He found a terrified boy mired to his waste with black muck. Farmer Fleming helped the boy and saved him from what could be an inevitable death. The next day, a fancy carriage appeared at the door of Fleming. An elegantly dressed gentle man stepped out and introduced himself to Fleming as the father of the boy whom Fleming saved yesterday. “I want to repay you,” said the gentleman. “You saved my son’s life.” “No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door. “Is that your son?” asked the gentleman. “Yes” the farmer replied proudly. “I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he will no doubt grow up to be a man we both will be proud of.” The Scottish farmer accepted this offer because he was poor and was not able to provide his son with a respectful education.

Farmer Fleming’s son who was born in Lochfield, Scotland in 1881 and died in 1955, attended the best schools at that time, graduated from the University of London, and worked in St. Mary’s Hospital became to be known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin. The name of the nobleman who offered Alexander Fleming all these opportunities was Lord Randolph Churchill, the Father of Sir Winston Churchill.

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