The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-22
BY ROBERT RICHARDS
United Press STAFF Correspondent

New Brunswick, N. j., Feb 20 =
CUP - The small gray man, with
the twinkling eyes, was puzzled
Money!" he asked. And why
should I make any money from it?"
1t had been just another job to
DR.. Selman A. Waksman, working
in the laboratories of Rutgers Uni
versity. 1t had been a job, and he
had discovered streptomycin - the
new miracle drug developed to sue
coed where even penicillin has fall
ed.
DR.. Waksman, and his associates,
have found the key to new hope
in the struggle against many dis
eases including tuberculosis. But
SO far 1t is only an experiment and
still hope - yet excellent results
have been reported.
1T would be both cruel and fool
ish to raise false hopes at this
time" DR.. Waksman said, "but
against certain types Of tubercu-
losis our streptomycin definitely
shows promise"
Then he settled down in his
chair and stared out the window.
But you must understand, we do
not do these things for money.
Here at Rutgers, We are scientists.
1t is our work"
Now in Production
DR.. Waksman said within six
months there would be quite a
large commercial supply of strep-
tomycin on the market. There are
IS companies in the United States
now beginning TO manufacture it"
he said, land some are even build
ing special plants"
Streptomycin comes from actin
omycetes, a type Of plant that is
half fungus and half bacteria. The
streptomycin producing organism,
called streptomyces griseus, was
finally isolated from the soil and
from the throat Of a laboratory
chicken. DR.. Waksman, and his
staff. isolated more than 1000
strains OF actinomycetes before they
finally found what they wanted.
Amy company in the United
States, with proper facilities, can
make streptomycin." Waksman said.
we will welcome them, if they are
not 1iy-by-nights and prove they
can do the job. Rutgers University
gets only q small royalty from the
process and this royalty will 60 into
a fund for further research"
DR.. Waksman is only too eager
TO get streptomycin moving on a
mass production basis. A pile Of
letters lay in one corner of his Of
flee. and each letter asks: When
can We get streptomycin?"
Each letter probably represents
at least one person who is dying, or
in desperate pain.
Supply Limited
Il must answer them all the
same" Waksman said. II must tell
them, We regret TO say that strep-
tomycin is still produced in limited
amounts. and considerable time
will elapse before large amounts
of it are available for public dis
tribution."
oaD win IA Aklo~1Ad
near KieY. in 1888. He came TO the
United States in 1910 and was
graduated from Rutgers In 1915
He received his doctors degree
from the University of California
in 1918. and returned to Rutgers
in 1921. He is professor OF micro
biology teaching mostly graduates.
and also serves as intercollegiate OF
the New Jersey Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station.
Waxsman claims, with a quiet
grin. that there was no drama In
the discovery and development OF
streptomycin. There were no tense
moments, no sudden climax. With
us. II was work." he said. land that
means both night and day"
But. with or without drama.
streptomycin probably has been
faster than arg other
known drug. It's discovery was first
announced In January, 1914. but