Vietnam Produced Penicillin in the Viet Bac Forest

In the history of Vietnamese medicine, the story of producing penicillin in the Viet Bac forest is a remarkable milestone, reflecting the intelligence, self-reliance, and patriotism of Vietnamese scientists during the resistance war against the French. This achievement is closely associated with Professor and Doctor Đặng Văn Ngữ, a great scientist of Vietnamese medicine.

In 1949, Professor Đặng Văn Ngữ returned to Vietnam from Japan, bringing with him a strain of penicillin-producing mold to serve the resistance. Under extremely difficult conditions, he and his colleagues built a simple laboratory made of bamboo, wood, and leaves deep in the Viet Bac mountains, in the Chiêm Hóa area of Tuyên Quang Province. Using rudimentary equipment and simple materials, he researched, cultivated the mold, and successfully produced “filtered penicillin solution.”

This success had great significance in the wartime context. At that time, many wounded soldiers suffered from infected wounds and faced the risk of amputation or even death due to the lack of antibiotics. The “filtered penicillin solution” produced by Professor Đặng Văn Ngữ played an important role in treating infections, saving wounded soldiers, and providing timely medical support to the battlefields, especially during the resistance war against the French.

Professor Ngữ presented his research on penicillin extraction to President Hồ Chí Minh.

What is truly admirable is that this achievement was not created in modern laboratories, but in the mountains and forests, amid war, bombing, and severe shortages of equipment, chemicals, and storage conditions. With solid scientific knowledge, creativity, and strong determination, Professor Đặng Văn Ngữ turned what seemed impossible into reality.

The production of penicillin in the Viet Bac forest was not only a medical achievement but also a symbol of science serving the nation. It showed that even in the most difficult circumstances, Vietnamese intelligence could still create great values to save lives, support the resistance, and build an independent medical foundation.

In conclusion, the story of Vietnam producing penicillin in the Viet Bac forest is a beautiful chapter in the history of Vietnamese medicine. This achievement not only helped save many wounded and sick soldiers but also affirmed the courage, talent, and dedication of Vietnamese scientists, represented by Professor and Doctor Đặng Văn Ngữ.