Alexander Fleming, working in England in 1928, discovered penicillin but could not produce enough for medical use. Following the advent of World War II, the British and American governments supported efforts to mass produce this potentially life-saving drug. Chas. Pfizer & Co., in the U.S., had great success with deep tank fermentation. This sealed glass ampule has a paper label that reads in part “PENICILLIN CALCIUM SALT” and “CHAS. PFIZER & CO., INC.” and “Do Not Use After 12-10-43.”
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