Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 220 219 Penicillin Pharmaceutical Factory, Seaplane Project: Early Publicity Building
Three months later, Fang Wen once again piloted a seaplane to the Lancang River section outside Jinghong City.

The scene below was exactly the same as it had been three months ago, and Fang Wen couldn't find the site of the penicillin factory.

Didn't they say it was already in production?
With these questions in mind, Fang Wen landed on the river and then turned the plane around to head towards the riverbank.

After reaching the shore, Fang Wen turned off the engine and threw a bundle of ropes ashore for people to secure.

He then got off the plane first and carefully helped his wife down.

"Are you alright?" Fang Wen asked with concern.

"It's okay. I can swim, I'm not afraid of falling into the water," Kuang Mingzhu replied with a smile.

As the two were talking, a group of people who had been waiting on the shore walked over.

"This is Jinghong,"

A raft paddled over and caught it.
The welcoming crowd that had been waiting by the river came over.

Here are the special operations team members sent here by Fang Wen: Wu Yingzong, Zhao Wanping, Liu Jinrui, and Li Tiezhu.

Also present were two professors from the Wuhan Institute of Biological Sciences and their student assistants.

There's also Zheng Hanlong, the second-generation heir of a local tycoon.

Zheng Hanlong came over enthusiastically and said loudly, "Can you sell me the plane this time?"

“Okay, we can talk while we eat,” Fang Wen said, and asked Wu Yingzong and the others to arrange a place to eat.

It turned out to be the same restaurant.

After a table full of Jinghong specialties was served, Fang Wenxian didn't talk about his own affairs first, intending to send Zheng Hanlong away first.

This man's family is very powerful locally, and it's essential to maintain a good relationship with him to ensure the stable production of the penicillin pharmaceutical factory.

After clinking glasses with him, Fang Wen said, "Young Master Zheng, are you aware that my Taishan Airlines recently changed owners?"

"Change owners? What's wrong? Someone's holding a knife to your throat and trying to force you out? If you want to take it back, I can lend you my men." Zheng Hanlong glared back.

These words, though seemingly casual and江湖-like, actually conceal the ulterior motives of the local tribes. They believe that once you've hired someone, it's easy to invite them but hard to get rid of them; they want a share of the profits.

Fang Wen smiled and whispered in Zheng Hanlong's ear, "I can't afford to offend this boss, and neither can you."

Zheng Hanlong's expression changed drastically, and he was about to get up and leave this place of trouble.

But Fang Wen stopped him, saying, "I haven't finished yet, it won't hurt to listen."

Zheng Hanlong then sat down helplessly and listened to Fang Wen finish speaking.

But then he exclaimed in surprise, "You guys can do this?! I thought we'd become enemies. You scared me half to death. No wonder my dad said we should just stay in Jinghong and not go anywhere else. The things outside are too complicated. We really shouldn't go anywhere."

Fang Wen smiled and said, "Please excuse my rudeness, Young Master Zheng. Let's get down to business. Our new employer wants to fully expand its air routes across China. I have an idea: to develop seaplane services. We can take off and land anywhere with a waterway. The Lancang River system can also be used for seaplane routes. Are you interested in joining us, Young Master Zheng?"

Fang Wen's words immediately moved Zheng Hanlong.

"Is this profitable?"

"Whether it's profitable or not, I can't say for sure. After all, the cost of flying is definitely more expensive than flying by boat. This is something for rich people. Young Master Zheng, you can think about it before you give me an answer." Fang Wen replied meaningfully. Air travel is not yet commonplace for ordinary people; it's all about prestige.

Zheng Hanlong nodded, stood up and said goodbye: "Alright, I'll go back and talk to my father. General Manager Fang isn't leaving today, is he?"

"Let's go tomorrow."

"Alright, please invite General Manager Fang to my Zheng family home today. You must come."

After Zheng Hanlong finished speaking, he went downstairs and left.

Kuang Mingzhu then spoke to her husband: "Your aircraft manufacturing plant project isn't even settled yet, so why are you telling outsiders about the seaplane plan first?"

"This is for publicity. We're going to visit many rivers this holiday, and more people will hear me talk about this in the future."

Fang Wen did not hide anything from his wife.

His approach is a method that people in the business world are used to. Some people with strong oral communication skills can even attract countless investments with just a PowerPoint presentation.

This approach allows the entire business plan to develop rapidly, laying a solid foundation for future developments.

Kuang Mingzhu seemed to understand, but not quite; the values ​​of the Republic of China era made it difficult for her to comprehend future business concepts.

Fang Wen didn't explain further, raised his glass and stood up.

"Gentlemen, it is truly remarkable that we were able to produce penicillin within three months. I would like to raise a toast to everyone."

Everyone stood up and drank with Fang Wen.

They then explained their respective situations.

At the beginning of these three months, there were some problems. We had language barriers and no connections or networks, so we relied entirely on introductions from outsiders.

Fortunately, Zheng Hanlong stepped in to help, and things gradually improved.

Later, after the house was purchased, two professors from Wuhan came to take a look.

To ensure a clean laboratory environment, they modified the building, using multiple layers of thin gauze curtains to keep out dust.

The new laboratory has been renovated, and all the Wuhan laboratories have been relocated.

They used water transport; Taishan Airlines sent people to charter a ship and sailed upstream from Wuhan.

The equipment was transported here via the Wujiang River in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, then through Guiyang and Kunming, finally arriving here via waterways.

It's fair to say that I spent most of my time on this over the past three months.

Fang Wen lamented the inconvenience of transportation in this era. If he hadn't gone to the United States, he could have delivered the equipment to Kunming Airport, avoiding many detours along the way.

After a conversation, we finished our meal and it was time to go check out the factory.

The group got up and left the restaurant, but went to a cloth shop in Jinghong City instead.

It turns out that the penicillin factory was located in the fabric workshop. Fabric making places are all about the feel of the place, so it was a pretty good idea.

Upon entering the fabric workshop, one finds that the dyeing and printing of cloth has ceased, replaced by a group of workers dressed in white robes busily at work.

The two professors explained the penicillin factory's production process to Fang Wen.

Simply put, it's about scaling up their laboratory preparation process.

The entire factory is divided into five parts: microbial culture area, fermentation area, fermentation liquid treatment area, penicillin extraction area, and refining and drying area.

In the culture area, the special Penicillium mold strains to be cultivated are placed on the fruit and given suitable temperature and humidity to allow them to mold quickly.

Once the mold has completely formed, the workers will use tools to collect the Penicillium mold.

The collected Penicillium molds are inoculated onto solid culture media with more suitable nutrients in order to obtain higher quality Penicillium mold spore cultures.

This is the first step.

Next, the spores are collected, made into a suspension with sterile water, and inoculated into the culture medium in a sterilized seed tank.

Sterile air is introduced, the mixture is stirred, and the mixture is incubated at 27 degrees Celsius for 24 hours to allow the spores to germinate and grow into mycelium. This step is called preparing the seed solution.

The seed culture is then transferred to a larger container: a fermentation tank.

The fermentation tank, which is also treated aseptically, has an environment more suitable for the growth of Penicillium.

After 7 days of fermentation, the entire jar was filled with fermentation liquid rich in Penicillium.

The fermentation broth is then filtered to remove mycelium and other impurities, resulting in a solution containing penicillin.

These penicillin-rich filtrates are acidified with a weak acidic substance with a pH of 2 to 2.5 to facilitate subsequent extraction.

The penicillin extraction process involves the alternation of acid and alkali substances: acidic substances are used for extraction, while alkaline substances are used for dilution. This process is repeated to obtain a high concentration of penicillin.

Finally, it is purified and dried.

White penicillin salts were obtained through purification and distillation.

After listening to the introduction, Fang Wen looked at the bottle of white powder in front of him.

That is the first batch of penicillin injection powder produced so far.

He asked, "Have you conducted any experiments?"

The professor replied, "We've tested it, and local villagers with bacterial infection symptoms showed significant improvement after being injected with penicillin. We've calculated the dosage needed for adults, and to prevent penicillin allergies, we also used the skin test method mentioned by the general manager. The skin test was very effective, preventing several potential injection accidents."

Fang Wen was surprised: "You're using it on humans right away? Aren't you going to use it on animals first?"

Wu Yingzong explained, “Initially, we were preparing for animal testing, but one of our local employees accidentally fell down the mountain while carrying spring water during a break. He sustained multiple injuries and developed a purulent infection. Ordinary medications couldn't treat it, so we used penicillin injections as an emergency measure. To our surprise, penicillin worked very well, and the infection was cured quickly. We discussed it internally, and since we had succeeded once, we decided to continue. We partnered with the most famous local Chinese medicine shop, and only those with severe infections were given penicillin injections. We then used the treatment results to generate clinical trial data.”

So that's how it is. Fang Wen and Kuang Mingzhu finished their inspection of the penicillin factory and headed to the traditional Chinese medicine shop.

The traditional Chinese medicine shop is called 'Renxintang'.

Because the owner of the Chinese medicine shop was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor who practiced medicine and offered low prices, a large number of people from the surrounding area came to the shop, surrounding it in layers.

Fang Wen and his group didn't need to squeeze in; instead, they went through the back door of the pharmacy.

As Fang Wen moved from the back to the front hall, he saw the old Chinese medicine doctor treating a patient with external injuries.

The patient's leg joint was swollen very badly, and there was yellow fluid oozing out.

The traditional Chinese medicine doctor cleaned the wound, used a small knife that had been heated with fire to remove the rotten flesh, poured on white powder, and carefully bandaged it.

"Did he apply penicillin topically?" Fang Wen asked uncertainly. Penicillin shouldn't be used like that, right?

"General Manager, that's not penicillin. It's a local medicine called 'Wan Ying Bai Bao Dan,' which was formulated by a great doctor surnamed Qu. It can treat bruises and sprains and promote blood circulation."

Fang Wen seemed to be deep in thought. He realized that this medicine should be called Yunnan Baiyao in the future.

Penicillin and Yunnan Baiyao, one for injection and one for external application, are a perfect combination for treating external injuries.

After the old Chinese medicine doctor finished treating the patient, Fang Wen went over and said, "Sir, could you spare a moment to talk about something?"

Before the old Chinese medicine doctor could refuse, Wu Yingzong introduced, "This is the boss. He wants to ask about penicillin."

The old Chinese medicine doctor's expression immediately relaxed, and he instructed his disciple to announce to the public that treatment was being suspended.

He rose, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Sir, you are kind-hearted to bring such a miraculous medicine. I thank you on behalf of those who are freed from suffering."

Fang Wen stepped aside; this was a rather heavy gesture, and he didn't want to accept it.

"The old gentleman is too kind. Fang Wen only did what he could; it's nothing. What we're here to discuss with the old gentleman is the effectiveness of penicillin."

He helped the old Chinese medicine doctor sit down, and then sat opposite him.

The old Chinese medicine doctor with the beard replied, "Excellent. Western medicine is potent and effective, and the effects can be seen on the same day after injection. However, the dosage must be strictly controlled, and a skin test must be performed. There must be no mistakes, otherwise it could be a matter of life and death."

The other party is right. In the future, penicillin injections will require a skin test, so Fang Wencai simply copied the skin test procedure.

Fang Wen continued, "I just saw the old gentleman use 'Wan Ying Bai Bao Dan'. How effective are these two medicines when used together?"

"Excellent. Penicillin injection can treat bacterial infections. The all-purpose medicine can be applied externally to promote wound healing. It's just that the injection is too troublesome. Can it be taken orally?" The old Chinese medicine doctor actually used the word "bacteria," which shows that he has no aversion to both Chinese and Western medicine.

Listen to what the old Chinese medicine doctor said.

Fang Wen turned his head and asked, "Can it be taken orally?"

"No, the medicine will be broken down by stomach acid," the professor replied.

Will the medication be broken down by stomach acid? Then how will oral penicillin work in the future?
Fang Wen pondered for a moment; the problem wasn't difficult, and he quickly figured it out.

Because of the capsule's protective properties, it will dissolve after entering the intestines and then be absorbed.

But this kind of technology is relatively difficult to achieve in this day and age, so let's not think about it too much.

Fang Wen said apologetically, "Sir, I'm afraid that won't work."

"It's alright. It doesn't matter if the medicine can't be taken orally; it's a life-saving medicine. I have another question: how much longer can I use this medicine for free?"

The old Chinese medicine doctor's words were difficult for Fang Wen to answer.

He got up to say goodbye and returned to the penicillin factory.

Fang Wen was deep in thought the whole way.

Penicillin has strategic significance and can bring substantial benefits in war.

But as the old Chinese medicine doctor asked, medicine is for treating diseases and saving lives. Should we abandon the people's need for medical care just for the sake of profiting from war?

Of course this is not possible.

We must make choices.

Fang Wen's thoughts are diverging.

Do you use domestic insurance?
No, once low-priced penicillin enters the market, countless people will try to profit from it, and large quantities of low-priced penicillin will be collected and shipped abroad for profit.

If domestic price protection is not used and global pricing is unified, the high price will make it impossible for poor people to afford penicillin.

So how can we balance this?

This is a problem that cannot be solved in the future unless a high-welfare system is established to balance everything, but that is the least likely thing to happen.

Seeing her husband's furrowed brow, Kuang Mingzhu asked with concern, "Sir, what's wrong?"

Her shout pulled Fang Wen from his thoughts. Without a clue, Fang Wen sighed, "I was thinking about how to make penicillin available to those who can't afford it in times of crisis."

"That's it? I have a solution." Kuang Mingzhu said with a smile, "If someone really needs penicillin but can't afford it, we'll lend it to him. Whether he repays it or not is his business. If he repays it, it's a business deal; if he doesn't, it's a good deed."

Kuang Mingzhu's words immediately broadened Fang Wen's mind. Yes, this was the best way to handle it. It all depended on one's heart, without being attached to appearances, and was very clear-headed.

With his worries resolved, Fang Wen continued dealing with matters in Jinghong. He instructed Wu Yingzong, Zhao Wanping, Liu Jinrui, and Li Tiezhu to stay behind.

He held a separate meeting with the four members of the special operations team.

(End of this chapter)