Michael Brooks

“Prior to World War II, German scientists developed a synthetic version of quinine, but didn’t use it because of its toxic side effects. Towards the end of the war, American scientists developed the same synthetic (corroborated by data found after the Allies captured Tunis). The Americans christened it chloroquine. This new drug was highly effective in preventing malaria, and people used it liberally, regardless of its toxic effects. Brazil even fortified table salt with it, which might sound extreme, but at the same time used similar logic as the United States’ widespread use of antibiotics in livestock. The problem, though, was that malaria is tenacious. Soon chloroquine-resistant strains of malaria began to appear.”
― David Stuart MacLean, The Answer to the Riddle Is Me: A Memoir of Amnesia