
The structure of Gramicidin S, taken from CSD refcode ENELIS
In fact Hodgkin published unit cell information for Gramicidin S in 1957 (CSD refcode ZZZTWY), revealing two polymorphs of the structure, both with very large cell volumes, but most gramicidin structures are disordered, and the first full structure solution of Gramicidin S didn’t enter the CSD until almost 45 years later, in 1993 (CSD refcode PIRBAT).
Those readers considering following in Thatcher's footsteps, may be interested in another passage from the same speech:
“I must tell you that one of the first things you find in politics is that it is not nearly as logical as chemistry. You will therefore understand that chemistry is very much easier than politics so I don't necessarily recommend that a large number of other people should follow in my footsteps if they are devoted both to the art and science of logic. “http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/104152