Issue 13, January 2010: His Name Was Fleming

Issue 13: January 2010

Growing Beyond The Future

His name was Fleming and he was a poor Scottish farmer.

One day while trying to make a living for his family, farmer Fleming heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could be a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy farmer Fleming saved.

“I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my sons life.”

“No I can’t accept payment for what I did.” The Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that same moment the farmers own son came to the door of the family hovel.
“Is that your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.

“I will make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll grow to a man you can be proud of.”

And that he did. In time, farmer Fleming’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman’s son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him was penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill.

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