The blue-green mold, Penicillium notatum, which excretes penicillin, has a laboratory rival. Last week a biochemical team led by Dr. Vincent du Vigneaud of the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical
Center proudly showed some brown crystals which they had synthesized and proved to be one of many varieties of penicillin: "penicillin-G."
Almost as soon as penicillin was isolated, chemists tried to make it artificially. The job was tough, for the penicillin molecule is unstable and exceedingly complex. Frantic wartime efforts by the British and OSRD (Office of Scientific Research and Development) did much of the...
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