Could a 21st century scientist use his/her knowledge to produce penicillin, using only tools and materials available at the end of the 18thC ? The amount produced would need to be sufficient in purity and amount to treat at least one patient.
This question came about in a discussion about the best way for a transplanted modern person to best use their advantages to impress the 18thC population and in particular the king.
Doubtful. Remember that even after it was discovered that penicillin could cure bacterial infections, obtaining usefull quantities of it required a full scale industrial effort. In particular, the original wild penicillium mold had to be extensively modidified by breeding strains that produced much more active ingredient, and would grow in suspension vats instead of only on surfaces.
In short, the penicillium strains we have today compare to wild penicillium like premium marijuana compares to rope hemp.
Yeah, but the thing is Lumpy that those high yielding strains and species that would produce in vats were just isolated wild specimens. The town that was responsible for pennicilin production in the US in WWII had a major drive on, asking people to bring in moldy scraps from their pantries. The staff when travelling would keep anything they found that looked promising.
I don’t know about today, but up until 20 years ago at least pennicilin was still being produced from wild strains.
It took time to isolate the best strains, but an 18th cebtury scientist has just as much time as 20th century one. The supsension vats used in WWII were the same amterials as had ben avaialble in 1750. And of course you don’t need a suspension vat to prodce suicient pennicilin ot treat one person. They were invented to produce sufficient to treat all the soldiers being wounded in combat.
I’m not sure how much of a role electircity plays in the refinement process, but I can’t imagine it couldn’t be overcome with a few dozen willing servants.
If the person had sufficien money and contacts I’d say the answer would be yes, but I admit I’m ignorant of the fine details of refining.
Personally I wouldn’t use this to impress anyone. It’s too much like work. Build a battery and a simple telegraph. The value to a king in those days of being able to instantly communicate the length and breadth of his country would have been far higher than simply being abe to treat his syphillis.