Abel the Prophet 



E. K. MARSHALL, JR., M.D. 



In the fall of 1936, the sulfa drugs were just beginning to be used in 

 this country. Within a decade, better sulfa drugs were introduced and 

 less toxic and more effective remedies like penicillin and streptomycin 

 cured many forms of infectious disease. However, in that autumn of 

 1936, I knew that few appreciated that the introduction of the sulfa 

 drugs would completely revolutionize the treatment and importance 

 of infectious disease, that they would make Ehrlich's dream of a harm- 

 less magic bullet with which to cure disease almost come true. 



On Christmas Eve of that year, I called on my old teacher, colleague, 

 and friend, John J. Abel, and found him very busy in his laboratory. 

 Having known him for over a quarter of a century, I realized that the 

 time was not ripe to sit for a long chat, and without removing over- 

 coat, I sat down and talked with him for the duration of one cigarette. 



When I arose, the old gentleman in a fatherly way put his arm 

 around my shoulder and very politely piloted me to the door. When 

 we arrived there, he stopped for a moment and, more as a gesture of 

 politeness than anything else, he asked me what I was doing now. I 

 told him I had been very busy all fall with the pharmacology of the 

 new antibacterial remedy, sulfanilamide. He said, "That's fine," then 

 jerked up and with a characteristic lift of the eyebrows, "What's this 

 all about?" 



He asked a couple of searching questions and then led me back 

 into the room. "Sit down, take off that coat, smoke a cigarette, and tell 

 me all about it." 



"Oh, but you're very busy, Professor. I'll come over some other 

 time," I replied. 



"Never too busy to hear about things like this, my boy," he said. 



For a half hour or more, I told him what I knew about this new 

 development in medicine. He asked some very pertinent questions, 

 and then raised his head and with a faraway look said, "My God, 

 Marshall, wouldn't Paul Ehrlich turn over in his grave? 



This seventy-nine-year-old scientist sa\v at once the great signifi- 



