-The Greatest Good to the Greatest Number-

In this work, the author examines the interaction of wartime bureaucracy, the academic medical establishment, and home front civilians. Drawing on a wide range of archival and oral sources, Adams presents a fascinating - and often poignant - account of the difficult biomedical decisions which accompanied the introduction of penicillin during the Second World War. The author traces the effect of the -wonder drug of 1943- on postwar American society. This work represents a useful volume for scholars in the areas of twentieth century history of medicine, social history, and history of public policy."