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SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES BY ACCIDENT

Abstract

FORTUNA favet fatuis is a familiar, Latin tag, Mad or sane, the man of science must tliank fortune or accident for useful discoveries in medicine, physics and chemistry. Pasteur said that chance favours those who are prepared. Accidental dis coveries may.have been forfeited owing to complete, concentration on the primary object of the research But those recorded are numerous. ; A few examples1 will demonstrate their value and variety.

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HUMBERSTONE, T. SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES BY ACCIDENT. Nature 151, 215–216 (1943). https://doi.org/10.1038/151215a0

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