Correspondence between Heatley and Dr Mary M Krinsky re patenting of penicillin

Correspondence between Heatley and Dr Mary M Krinsky, a US biochemical patent attorney. Mostly covers 1994-1996.

Covers Krinsky's 'Magic Bullets' manuscript, a draft screenplay about the research, invention and patenting of penicillin done by Florey, Heatley and others between 1940 and 1944 at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in Oxford. The correspondence includes Heatley's views and insights on that 1940s period, notably regarding the story of the patenting of penicillin and his concern over later and current misinformation about the period.

Includes copies of Krinsky's letters to Dr Charles du V Florey (son of Howard Florey) and an extract of her screenplay featuring the 'team' (Abraham, Jean, Gardner, Sanders, Heatley, Chain, Howard and Margaret) discussing Alexander Fleming's recent 'miracle cure' claims in the Dunn conference room.

This file generally covers the history of the work done by Heatley, Florey and co. and the debunking of the idea that Fleming discovered penicillin as it came to be used in the 1940s. There are also some important parallels drawn regarding the patenting of AZT in the treatment of AIDS patients, in connection with assignment of rights and inventorship crediting. Other publications and television productions on the history of penicillin are also discussed in the correspondence.

1994-1998

1 file