102 A MANUAL OP THfi 1»ENICILLIA 



Penicillin Production by Other Molds 



Penicillin, or penicillin-like substances, appear to be produced by all 

 members of the Penicillium chrysogenum series (Raper, 1946), and have, in 

 addition, been reported from a number of molds outside this general group. 

 Florey, et at. (1944) reported penicillin-like substances from P. avellaneum 

 and P. turhatum. Working independently, Wickerham confirmed these 

 observations at this Laboratory. Philpot (1943) reported the production 

 of an antibiotic termed "gigantic acid" from Aspergillus giganieus Welmaer. 

 Bush and Goth (1943) reported the production of an antibiotic termed 

 "flavicin" from A. flavus. McKee and co-workers (1943 and 1944) re- 

 ported a substance designated "flavicidin" by the same species. Cook and 

 Lace}^ (1944) reported A. -parasiticus to produce a substance which they 

 designated "parasiticin." Aspergillus oryzae was listed as wealdy positive 

 b}^ Waksman and Bugie (1943) and by Foster and Karow (1945). Peni- 

 cillin-like substances have also been reported from A. flavipes by White 

 (1943), Foster and Karow (1945), and Benedict (unpublished notes); from 

 A. nidulans by Foster and Karow (1945) and Dulaney (1947a and 1947b); 

 from A. niger by Foster and Karow (1945); and from A. sydowi by Bene- 

 dict and by Robbins. Outside of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus ^ 

 Peck and Hewitt (1945) reported the production of a penicillin-like anti- 

 biotic by the dermatophj'^te. Trichophyton jnentagrophytes. More recently 

 Rode, et al. (1947) has shown a similar substance to be produced by the 

 thermophilic fungus Malhranchea pulchella. 



Production 

 The commercial production of penicillin was negligible prior to January 

 1943. In the five month period ending with May 1943, 400 million units 

 were produced, or roughly, enough penicillin to treat 400 hospitalized cases. 

 The meteoric rise in production attained since that date can, we believe, 

 be adequately indicated by listing the monthly production for a given 

 month, e.g., October, over a period of five years: 



Billion units 



October 1943 2.8 



October 1944 230.0 



October 1945 675.0 



October 1946 2633.6 



October 1947 4745.2 



October 1948 8620.5 



During the period from .June 1943 to October 1947, the price of penicillin 

 dropped from sS20.00 per 100,000 units (acknowledged to be less than cost) 

 to about thirty cents (30^) per 100,000 units. Parallel with the increase 

 in production and the decrease in price, there has been a steady improve- 

 ment in the quality of the drug manufactured. Penicillin, as marketed in 

 1943, commonly contained about 100 u/mg. of pure sodium penicillin; 

 today penicillin is generally marketed as a crystalline sodium or calcium 



