Creating an Industrial Empire in 19th Century Parallel World



In the company hospital, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

Sara was walking down the hallway with a coffee in her hand. She turned the corner and pushed open the heavy wooden door that led into her laboratory. The scent of chemicals and the hum of machinery filled the air as she stepped inside.

The lab was filled with bubbling beakers, intricate instruments, and the constant clattering of her colleagues working diligently on their experiments. She made her way to her own station, a cluttered desk piled high with notes, sketches, and half-finished projects.

As she set her coffee down, she began poring over the notes she had written about a particular drug. 

It was penicillin. 

For months, Sara had been dedicated to her research, trying to create a cure that is plaguing the world. She must do it fast because the deadline is near. She wanted this discovery to appear at the Chicago World's Fair this coming April.

In her original world, penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928. Fleming, a Scottish bacteriologist, stumbled upon this groundbreaking antibiotic when he returned to his laboratory after a two-week vacation. He found that a petri dish containing Staphylococcus bacteria had been contaminated with mold, and to his amazement, the bacteria around the mold had been killed. This serendipitous discovery led to the realization that the mold, later identified as Penicillium notatum, produced a substance that could kill bacteria, thus marking the birth of penicillin.

However, in this world, penicillin had not yet been invented, making easily curable diseases a distant dream. Sara knew that she had the power to change that. She can't just remain in the hospital and fix patients through surgery and prescriptions, she could potentially save millions of lives. 

With the Chicago World's Fair just around the corner, Sara worked tirelessly day and night. She refined her methods, conducting countless experiments with the help of nurses and doctors.

Two weeks later, as she peered through her microscope at a culture of Penicillium mold, she noticed something remarkable. The mold appeared to be secreting a substance that exhibited strong antibacterial properties.

Sara carefully extracted the mold's secretion, meticulously documenting her findings. She repeated the experiments, each time obtaining more promising results. 

Now, with the promise of a potential cure in her hands, Sara knew she needed to take the next crucial step: creating a prototype that could be presented at the Chicago World's Fair. 

Sara enlisted the help of her most trusted colleagues, nurses, and doctors from the hospital to assist with the development of the penicillin prototype. Together, they worked tirelessly in the laboratory, carefully refining the process of isolating and purifying the antibacterial substance from the Penicillium mold.

A week later, finally, the prototype was complete. It was a small vial containing a clear liquid that held the potential to combat bacterial infections. 

"Will this work?" One of her colleagues asked. 

"Well, there's only one way to find out. We need a volunteer, someone afflicted with a bacterial infection," Sara replied with a determined expression. 

"Not in this hospital," another colleague replied. "This hospital rarely takes in patients with bacterial infection. Most of the time, we are dealing with injuries incurred by the workers in the factories." 

"But what about other hospitals? Pennsylvania Hospital for instance?" Sara hummed aloud. 

"That could work, but I don't think you'll get permission to take their patients. For that, you have to go there yourself." 

After hearing her colleague's words, Sara had made a decision. 

At six o'clock in the evening, Sara ended her shift and headed towards the main office. She doesn't need to identify herself in the reception as the owner of the corporation is his fiance. 

Arriving at the office, she found Poul alone writing on a paper with a fountain pen. He always looked like that whenever she entered his office. 

She glanced at the other table belonging to Jonathan, it was vacant as he was in New York, overseeing the construction of the Empire State Building. 

"You said you wanted to see me?" Poul said suddenly.

"Eugh!" Sara was startled at Poul's sudden address, momentarily taken aback. She hadn't noticed him looking up from his work, and his voice had caught her off guard. She quickly composed herself and walked closer to his desk.

"Yes, Poul," she said with a slight chuckle. "I have a favor."

"Anything for you, my dear," Poul murmured tenderly. He reached out and pulled Sara closer, guiding her to sit on his lap with a graceful and gentle movement. "Hmm…your perfume…I must say, I miss it." 

Sara giggled softly as she got tickled by Poul's brushing his lips on her neck. 

"Poul…be proper," she said with a playful but gentle admonishment. "I have a favor to ask, and it's rather important."

Poul chuckled, the sound rumbling against her ear. "And I believe I said 'anything for you' right?" 

"Well, Poul, I have been working on this project, to contribute something significant to this world just like you and Jonathan are doing. It's a drug."

Poul leaned back and looked at Sara. "What kind?" 

"An antibiotic, specifically, penicillin," Sara revealed. 

Poul let out a gasp of astonishment. "And you have synthesized it?" 

"Yes, now I only need to test it. The problem is, that we don't have patients in the company hospital that have bacterial diseases. There must be one in Pennsylvania Hospital, but I don't think the hospital would allow me to take their patient. I need you to come along with me to that hospital." 

"Well, I could give the hospital a call if you'd like, save us some time," Poul suggested. "Why are you pouting?" 

"You have been busy, Poul. Is it because of the World's Fair? If it is, I understand. But we have rarely gone out on a trip together. If it's still impossible then okay, I'll settle with you giving them a call." 

"Ah…no, no, no," Poul said, placing a finger on her lips. "We will go to Pennsylvania Hospital and find you a patient. The World's Fair? It's almost settled to the point where I can have someone work on it. I have realized it too, that it's been a long time since we went out together." 

"Really?" Sara's eyes sparkled. 

"Of course. We'll leave tomorrow morning," Poul declared. 

"Great!" 

"Where did you learn to synthesize penicillin anyway?" Poul asked.

"There was a conference about it, the history of antibiotics, how it was discovered, and how it was synthesized. It was also that it can be synthesized without modern technologies. It's just filtration and fermentation. And when that drug works, you can add that to the inventions under your company."

"Our company," Poul corrected. "You are part of this now, and I think having that drug on display is a great idea. Heck, we might even start a pharmaceutical company." 

Sara chuckled. "There you go again, seeing money in all things. But it's a wonderful thought, Poul. If this penicillin works as we hope, it could change the face of medicine. It's not just about profit; it's about saving lives."

Touched by her words, Poul leaned in and kissed her forehead gently. "I'm falling to you again." 

***

The next morning, Poul opened the passenger door of their car for Sara. "It's a thirty-minute ride. Are you sure you haven't forgotten anything?" 

"I have everything I need in this bag," Sara said as she double-checked her bag. 

"Okay, let's go."