Before the 20th century, much like traditional Chinese medicine, global medical practices primarily relied on natural remedies—plants and herbs.
But how did medicine shift from holistic healing to a symptom-targeted model dominated by synthetic, petrochemical-based drugs?
The turning point came with the influence of two industrial titans: oil magnate John D. Rockefeller and steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Their vision centered on consolidating medicine into a singular, industrialized system.
This agenda catalyzed a dramatic shift in medical education, gradually sidelining traditional schools in favor of an empirical, chemically-based model aligned with industrial goals. Independent scientific exploration was replaced by a rigid, autocratic framework.
Before 1910, medical education in the U.S. was diverse. Institutions taught a wide variety of approaches: homeopathy, naturopathy, eclectic medicine, and herbalism. This diversity fostered innovation, allowing multiple schools of thought to compete and evolve.
Medicine was governed by open inquiry and meritocracy. Ideas that stood up to rigorous scrutiny gained prominence and became accepted practice.
That changed with the Flexner Report of 1910, funded and promoted by Rockefeller and Carnegie. This report assessed 155 American medical schools but did so with clear bias and manipulation.
It painted the diverse medical landscape as disorganized and flawed, paving the way for its replacement with a standardized, corporate-friendly system.
With support from the American Medical Association and guidance from Abraham Flexner, a group of handpicked evaluators reshaped the entire curriculum. The new model emphasized empirical, trademarked medical education, aligning perfectly with Rockefeller's and Carnegie's goals.
The report conveniently discredited institutions that didn't promote chemical drugs—drugs produced by companies under Rockefeller and Carnegie.
All nonconforming approaches were labeled as "quackery," despite their historical legitimacy.
This aggressive restructuring birthed the modern pharmaceutical industry and introduced sweeping control over medical education.
By 1925, over 10,000 herbal doctors were out of work. By 1940, more than 1,500 chiropractors were prosecuted. Homeopathic medical schools dwindled from 22 in 1900 to just 2 by 1923. By 1950, none remained.
Graduating from a Flexner-approved school became the only path to medical employment. Consequently, most doctors today are unfamiliar with natural pharmacology or nutrition.
Rockefeller's interest in organic chemistry enabled him to develop oil-derived, patented drugs, extremely profitable. But public acceptance required control over medical education.
Institutions like Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine became the gold standard, pushing aside all alternatives.
George understood he couldn't take over the entire medical conglomerate, so he proposed acquiring a partial stake.
"The medical group? So George's ambitions include healthcare as well," Rockefeller mused with a smile.
"Of course. The pharmaceutical industry is a pillar of modern civilization. It would be an honor to be involved," George replied.
"Haha, very well. Once I review your contract thoroughly, we can continue this discussion," Rockefeller said.
"Of course," George responded calmly, showing no sign of urgency.
At the time, no one could confirm the presence of oil underground. Yet as a company that controlled 80% of the U.S. oil market, Rockefeller remained confident in their dominance.
He believed no oil merchant could outmaneuver his network. Nevertheless, he called his manager to check if any recent exploration had taken place in the area George mentioned.
George didn't rush. He knew that without prior exploration, no one else could confirm the presence of oil—except himself.
The contract George submitted was essentially a wager. If oil were discovered, the Rockefeller family would receive a sixfold return, and George would retain the right to buy back their share after ten years. If no oil was found, both parties would share the loss.
After a pleasant lunch at the Rockefeller estate, George's motorcade departed.
The next day, George arrived at Rikers Island in New York.
Impressed by the Rockefeller Villa, George decided to build his own. He scouted several islands—City Island, Hart Island, and ultimately Rikers Island.
From a privacy standpoint, Rikers, an isolated island, suited him best.
Part of the Bronx but connected to Queens by a bridge, Rikers Island originally belonged to the Rycken family in 1664. New York City annexed it in 1884, when it spanned just 87 acres. Today, it covers 150 hectares.
George knew Rikers Island would later become infamous as a prison. At present, it was barren, unlike its more forested counterparts.
He purchased the island from the Vanderbilt family for $6 million and commissioned Hoppin & Koen—the architects of his current villa—to design the new estate.
After outlining his vision, George gave the designers creative freedom.
Meanwhile, progress in Texas oil operations was paralleled by Paul's success in building the prototype of an injection molding machine. George personally tested it and confirmed it met all expectations.
He instructed Paul to establish a factory dedicated to manufacturing these machines in Detroit. The facility would be completed in about two months.
With another production facility under his name, George's demand for steel surged.
At present, all his steel came from United Steel Company, controlled by the Morgan family—a risky dependency.
In his past life, George recalled how corporations like Samsung built industrial empires by controlling every link in the chain, while others like Apple mastered specialization. Though decades ahead, the patterns echoed in the present.
Though he disliked Samsung's overreach, he respected its technological strength.
He also remembered how Xiaomi disrupted the smartphone market by integrating mature technologies at low cost. But their failure to build proprietary core components eventually led to their decline.
George didn't want to rely on United Steel. He had two options: acquire steel mills and iron mines, or join United Steel.
Both paths had pros and cons. Building his operation would be slow, while joining United Steel required offering the Morgans something valuable enough to trade shares.
George was still evaluating the steel dilemma when his assistant stormed in with grim news.
"Boss, it's Harry. Sorry to disturb you. I have bad news. Ten minutes ago, our San Francisco headquarters was robbed. They took $200,000," Harry said, his tone uneasy.
"Any casualties?" George asked.
"Five dead, three injured."
"Understood. I'll head there immediately. File a police report claiming a $5 million loss. Arrange compensation for the victims. Keep the situation contained."
"Understood, Boss."
After hanging up, George sat in silence.
This wasn't the work of ordinary criminals. Robbing a headquarters is no small feat; it suggests more than petty theft.
If it were the Mafia, only two families came to mind: the Basini Family and the Jewish Gang. The Nigo gang was already wiped out.
San Francisco was Basini territory. Coincidence? George didn't think so.
But what if it wasn't the Mafia? Could someone be targeting his growing empire?
Why rob a bank instead of attacking him directly?
Regardless, George knew he had to go to San Francisco immediately. A train journey would take four or five days, but this situation demanded his presence.