Dr Merlin Pryce

Was it Fleming or Mr & Mrs Pryce’s boy from Troedyrhiw? 

by Irene Janes

Parents, Rachel and Richard Pryce owned a tavern in Troedyrhiw. Little did they think, in 1902, when their son was born, he could save millions of lives forever, but did he?

Their lad Daniel Merlin Pryce was a bright boy. He attended Merthyr County School, Pontypridd Grammar School, and at the age of seventeen, the Welsh National School of Medicine Cardiff. However, the call of a Junior Research Scholarship to study at St Mary’s Hospital, London, with Alexander Fleming lured him away from Merthyr Tydfil.

Aged twenty-five, and now known as Merlin Pryce, he worked alongside Alexander Fleming in his Bacteriology Department and it is here this fascinating story begins.

Apart from being hard working colleagues the two men became close friends. Fleming was at times a bit untidy and did not always clear away what he had been working on. In 1928 he was experimenting with the culture Staphylococci. In his eagerness to go on holiday for the summer a number of Petri dishes were overlooked.

Several weeks later, Merlin called in to St Marys Hospital see his old friend, who was due back from holiday. Alexander was late so Merlin pottered around tidying up Fleming’s laboratory. It was then he found the Petri dish, which had held the Staphylococci culture. His attention was immediately drawn to a fungus which had grown and how it had destroyed the Staphylococci.

So who did discover penicillin? Was it Merlin for finding the dish and showing his friend the exciting possibilities of investigating the mould? All the accolades have fallen to Fleming. In my untrained medical mind, it seems to be a matter of luck. It all hangs on who picked up the Petri dish and became aware of the destroyed Staphylococci.

Luckily for us Merlin’s sister, Mrs Hilda Jarman, lived in London when this groundbreaking discovery occurred, and had no doubt it was her brother that drew it to Alexander’s attention. He praised Fleming for his re-culturing of the mould as seminal and crucial, and felt disqualified for any glory and praise. She told how Fleming wanted to include Merlin as a significant contributor but her brother ‘would not accept the suggestion’, Merlin’s children confirmed this.

Time moves on and Merlin is a Professor and Alexander a Knight of the realm. During World War Two when Fleming’s house was bombed his whole family stayed with the Pryce family.

Merlin’s wife Molly, in her career as a nurse, encountered many unmarried mothers. They often welcomed some of the girls into their home before and after their babies were born until, they were strong enough to leave.

In 1945, The Nobel Prize for ‘Physiology or Medicine’, was collectively awarded to Alexander Fleming, Sir Howard Florey and Earnest B Chain. Foley and Chain further investigated the possibilities for penicillin. The rules state only three names can be on the Nobel Prize medal.

Merlin was a shy modest man, a co-operator more than a competitor. He was loyal, warm, sincere, and tolerant and had a great a love for his fellow men. Is this why he was more than happy for Fleming to take the praise? Did he see his role as no more than an opportune moment rather that of discovery? We will never know any more than who first set foot on the top of Mount Everest, Hillary or Norgay.

Nevertheless, we know the two men remained close friends all their lives so obviously animosity was not cultured in or over that Petri dish.

Fleming’s papers are in the British Museum Library and not available for inspection. The Pryce diaries have been lost.

Where every the tribute should be laid Professor Merlin Pryce had an unblemished reputation as a Doctor and teacher and for that alone Merthyr should be proud of him.

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