Two Nobel laureates in conversation: Robert Robinson listens to Dorothy Hodgkin's account of her life scientific

In 1974 the Nobel laureate Sir Robert Robinson OM PRS (1886–1975) was gathering information for memoirs he writing. As part of his research, recorded a conversation with former student, fellow Professor Dorothy Hodgkin FRS (1910–1994), during which she outlined key stages her career. She explained principles underlying crystallography and described work on structure biological molecules including penicillin vitamin B 12 —for received Prize—and insulin. This paper includes verbatim transcript conversation, reveals figures in Hodgkin's career technical breakthroughs underlay elucidation very large complex molecules. The commentary value oral accounts concludes issues raised not conversation. President Royal Society between 1945 1950 when women were first elected Fellows. 1947. However, no mention is made challenges facing developing scientific half twentieth century.