Laurel outlook., 1944-09-20
Penicillin Will
Be Given Public
Amazing Lifesaving Drug Is
Now Made Available
For Civilian Use.

WASHINGTON. - Penicillin is
now to be made available to the
civilian world on a restricted basis.
Behind that news is the story of a
miracle of production rivaling the
amazing accomplishments of the
drug itself.
Nineteen United States and two
Canadian firms are turning out
about 200 times as much penicillin
monthly as was produced a year
ago. They've lowered the cost ap-
proximately 85 per cent.
By the end of the year it is ex-
pected that present production rates
Zone hundred billion units in May)
will again be doubled for this drug
which succeeds where the sulfas
fail and which has proved a life
v from childbirth to battlefront.
A year ago virtually all but a linn
tied fraction of the then meager
supply was allocated to our armed
forces. Within the past few weeks
the drug has been made available
to thousands of civilian sufferers
through ALLEGATIONS to some 1000
depot" hospitals throughout the
nation.
At the present rate Of a hundred
billion units a month, at least 100,-
600 cases can be treated, includ-
ing civilians, armed forces and al
lies, and patients in some neutral
countries who are to receive small
supplies.
To Share With Others.
The outlook for civilians in this
country is summed up by a war
production official who says "come
hell or high water, we are going to
assure at least Is billion units
monthly for civilians"
The latest development is this:
For the first time, the domestic
supply of penicillin will be shared
with foreign nations. Up to o they
have received only occasional mi
mute supplies for emergency cases.
(The United States produces 95 per
cent of the world supply.)
About a week ago, South Ameri-
al republics were allocated 1,000,-
600, 900 units. Arrangements are be-
ing made for export for restricted
civilian use to European neutrals,
the middle east, the French areas,
and other countries.
Under this program less than l per
cent of our total production will be
allocated for use abroad.
In a sense, the large scale produc-
ton of this NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by
many scientists as the most amaz-
ing drug that has ever been pro-
duced-outshines the production of
ships and planes and tanks.
At the outset all that was known
about making the drug was that it
was produced by the same mold
(penicillium notatum) which grows
stale bread and on cheese. To
produce it on a commercial scale,
processes had to be devel-
oped to grow the molds.
Grow Mold Faster.
The Peoria, ILL.,, laboratory Of the
States department of agri-
culture made a revolutionary con-
tribution. Its scientists showed that
the addition of corn seeping liquor
to the medium used for the growth
Of the mold made it grow many
times faster. ]
In the early stages of develop {
nent, manufacturers grew the mold -,
On the surface of liquid in bottles J
and TASKS and trays. {
Now the mold is grown in tanks !!
thousands of gallons. i
Refinements of technique have {
come into play within the past year. j
The latest one to be announced is a
Vacuum type oven for drying peni-
;illin. 1t is designed to replace a dry c
ce method of drying the drug. It's E
developers say it cuts drying time
rom "a hours to 80 minutes. S
Measured in terms of p~oundage, c
he output of p~enicillin is small. One t
billion units of penicillin weighs a h
That makes present produc- c
ion about 100 pounds a month, a il
title over three pounds a day for the il
! plants. S
But a little penicillin goes a long t
way. 1t requires only 100, 900 to 150,- Ii
90 units to treat a cast of gonor- t
hea at a cost of about SIS. A severe d
ase of s~epticemia, or blood poison e
ng, would require about 1000, 900 a
nits and cost about $35. h