Passage One The improbable chain of events that
leads Alexander Fleming 1.______ to
discover penicillin in 1928 is the stuff which scientific myths
2.______ are made. It was a discovery that would change the course of
the history, The active ingredient in that mold, which Fleming
named penicillin, turned to be an infection-fighting agent of
3.______ enormous potency. When it was finally
recognized as what it was—the efficacious life-saving drug in the
world—penicillin 4.______ would alter
forever the treatment of bacterial infections. By the middle of the century,
Fleming’s discovery spawned a huge phar-
5.______ maceutical industry, churning out synthetic penicillin that
would conquer some of man-kind’s most ancient scourges,
including syphilis, gangrene, and tuberculosis. When he died
a heart attack in 1955, he was mourned by
6.______ the world and buried as a national hero in the crypt
of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Although Fleming’s scientific work in
and of itself may not have reached great, his singular contribution
7.______ changed the practice of medicine. He deserves
our utmost recog- nition. At the same time, we must bear on mind that the
8.______ "Fleming
Myth", as he called it, embodies the accomplishments of many giants of
anti-biotic development. Fleming is but a cho- sen representative for the
likes of Florey, Chain, Domagk, and Waksman, many of who remain, sadly,
virtual unknowns.
9.______ Their achievements have made the world a better, healthier place.
In commemorating Fleming, and we commemorate them
10.______ all.