2 ms·
One of the most wildly productive periods in small molecule drug discovery was back when crazy, mostly German, chemists would taste their products as part of ch
by User23 3y ago
One of the most wildly productive periods in small molecule drug discovery was back when crazy, mostly German, chemists would taste their products as part of characterizing them.
That's why, among other things, we have such wonderfully high quality data on progressive mercury poisoning.
- gumby 3y agoSaccharin was discovered when Ramsen rolled a cigarette and noticed that the paper tasted sweet (there is a non-tobacco version of this for the faint of heart). And Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin because some bread from an old sandwich did not become moldy. Modern lab procedures preclude any such discovery today.
- IggleSniggle 3y ago... Penicillin is mould. Mould has been known for centuries to have special properties that resist infection, but no scientific evidence to back it up. The bacteria culture was accidentally left open during a vacation and some mold started growing on it. When they returned, it had killed off the bacteria. Fleming isolated the mould (penicillin) and had a provable antibiotic. Lab errors still happen, though, because they are still run by humans.