Each chapter describes important medical discoveries, from the introduction of the first antibiotic to the present, where serendipity, intuition, coincidence, or laboratory accident played an important role in bringing it to light. Although chance is the principal determinant, the book emphasizes other factors, such as economic and political exigencies and being in the right place at the right time. Pure luck is not thematic; rather Pasteur's dictum, chance favors the prepared mind Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.