Lecture Series: Dr. Stephen Brecher – Penicillin, a Football Game, and the Golden age of Antibiotics in WWII

Dr. Stephen Brecher – Penicillin, a Football Game, and the Golden age of Antibiotics in WWII

Learn about the secret weapon developed in WWII. This miracle drug is credited with saving the lives of 10 to 15 % of all WWII Casualties. Research and production of penicillin became the second highest priority of the war effort in 1943.

A Story About Penicillin, A Football Game, A Fire, World War II and Antibiotic Resistance
Although penicillin was discovered in England, the war there prohibited its production so the effort to produce it moved to the United States in 1941. The Cocoanut Grove fire in 1942 (“The Fire that made Penicillin Famous”) played a significant role in the way our government perceived its importance, which initiated tireless efforts to mass produce penicillin for our soldiers in WW II especially for the D-Day invasion. Penicillin made a huge difference in the outcome of the war.

Dr. Stephen M. Brecher recently retired as the Director of Clinical and Molecular Microbiology at the Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center after 39 years. He is an Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.