The Demon Under the Microscope

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The Nazis discovered it, and the Allies won the war with it. This incredible discovery was sulfa, the first antibiotic, which revolutionized modern medicine. Thomas Hager chronicles the dramatic history of this drug that saved millions, including Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. Sulfa transformed drug development, patient treatment, and the very concept of curing diseases at their root rather than merely alleviating symptoms. The story of sulfa is colorful and complex, featuring vivid characters, corporate strategies, individual idealism, and a mix of luck, cynicism, heroism, and greed. It highlights the central, albeit mistaken, ideas that brought this groundbreaking drug to the world. For centuries, humanity sought medicines to combat contagion, achieving limited success with vaccines and a few antitoxins. While some drugs could address parasitic diseases, the major bacterial killers—pneumonia, plague, tuberculosis, diphtheria, cholera, and meningitis—remained unchecked by 1931. However, the advent of sulfa marked a pivotal shift in the fight against bacterial infections, paving the way for the antibiotics era and changing the landscape of medicine forever. This narrative is a fascinating scientific tale infused with the excitement and intrigue of a suspense novel.