The discovery of penicillin was one of the most important advancements in the field of medicine. Penicillin today is used as an antibiotic that treats and prevents bacterial infections. There are many events that lead to the modern penicillin used today, but these events can be categorized into three groups: the discovery of penicillin, the early stages of development, and the later stages of development. In September 1928, penicillin was first discovered by Alexander Fleming. The discovery was reported to be an accident that occurred while Fleming was on vacation as mold from another laboratory contaminated a dish full of bacteria Fleming was researching, according to “Not-So-Dumb Luck” by Jesse Lane. The mold was called Penicillium Notatum, and “When he peered into the dish, Fleming saw a ring around the mold. After some experimentation, he found that the ring was bacteria-free…” (Lane). The …show more content…
Howard Florey was a British scientist who conducted research along with others on penicillin in the United States (Bellis). Key aspects described by Mary Bellis in “The history of Penicillin” emphasise that Florey’s research on penicillin helped “demonstrate penicillin's ability to kill infectious bacteria.” With further research done on penicillin, it was conceivable to use penicillin in beneficial ways. World War II boosted the intensity of the research on penicillin because, as stated by Brittany Connors in “The Discovery of Penicillin: The True Story”, “Part of the reason for their increased effort in discovering how penicillin could be used on humans was that a drug was needed to reduce bacterial infections in soldiers’ wounds.” Death from infected wounds was a common problem before antibiotics, such as penicillin. During the early development of penicillin as an antibiotic much progress was made. However, Florey and other scientists were having problems producing large quantities of the
The natural components of antibiotics have been used as local remedies long before humans understood the reasons why these sometimes-radical treatments worked. Penicillin became the first manufactured antibiotic after physician Alexander Fleming published articles regarding this bacteria-disabling mold in 1928. Come 1932, penicillin was commonly used to treat infected war injuries, saving the lives of unnumbered soldiers (Lewis). Since then, penicillin has b...
Penicillin, derived from the mold Penicillium, is the first antibiotic to successfully treat bacterial infections on humans. It was accidentally discovered by scientist, Alexander Fleming. While Fleming was growing Staphylococcus, a serious and often deadly infection, in a dish, he noticed the bacteria had stopped growing after a mold found its way
Years later other scientists were also intrigued by the possibilities of penicillin and produced enough penicillin to prove that it was a useable antibiotic. The scientists from Great Britain were developing all of this during World War II, and unfortunately funding for their drug was unavailable due to the war. They decided to bring their concepts to the United States, and once enough was made, it was eventually used, to treat wounded soldiers during World War I.
Having an ear infection in 2015 is no big deal. You hop in your car and drive to your doctor’s office. Your doctor sees you, diagnoses you with an ear infection and prescribes you, penicillin like they have dozens of times before. Today penicillin and other antibiotics are taken for granted. Before the 1920’s bacterial infections would do a lot more harm than just having an ear ache. If penicillin was not invented who knows how delayed today’s medicine would be.
Penicillin, the first antibiotic, was discovered accidentally by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928. Sir Fleming was growing bacteria on agar plates and accidentally left one of the plates open. A mould started growing on this. Fleming noticed that no bacteria grew
5) Fifth on the list is the antibiotic, penicillin. In 1928, Alexander Fleming was working in London when he took a vacation and came back to a filthy lab. While cleaning up, he began examining the growth found in a petri-dish and discovered that the mold spores were killing other bacteria. After more investigation Fleming realized that he discovered a way to eliminate many infectious diseases. Fleming's invention later led to many other medical advances which are still being used today, all of which are now helping millions of sick people to get well fast. Just before World War II, America was trying to discover a way to mass produce penicillin so that they could use it in the war. They found out that what Fleming had been using wasn't going to produce quick enough, they began looking
Treatment must begin immediately with penicillin (Counteracting Major Infections 918).Penicillin, the drug used to treat this infection was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1932 Though discovered before the war and in the aftermath of the great war penicillin only became mass produced during world war 2, especially the netherlands after the war. Researchers in the Netherlands produced penicillin using their own production methods and marketed it in 1946, which eventually increased the penicillin supply and decreased the price.(Robert Gaynes) This allowed for penicillin to be available to most people for commercial use along with prontosil ( a previously discovered antibiotic). Together, Prontosil, penicillin, and related antibacterials enabled physicians to control the major infectious diseases afflicting humanity, at least for many decades; however, an increasing problem today is the steady development by bacteria of resistance to antibiotics.(Ronald Bentley)The discovery of Sulfanilamide greatly affected the mortality rate during World War II. American soldiers were taught to immediately sprinkle sulfa powder on any open wound to prevent infection.(David Steinert)Every soldier was issued a first aid pouch that was designed to be attached to the soldier’s waist belt. The first aid pouch contained a package of sulfa powder and a bandage to dress the wound.One of the main components carried by a combat medic during World War II was sulfa powder and sulfa tablets. (David Steinert) Dramatic proof of the effectiveness of this new agent was provided during an outbreak of meningitis in the French Foreign Legion in Nigeria.While sulfanilamide was available, there was an 11% mortality rate. After the supply was exhausted, mortality climbed to 75%. Sulfanilamide and its derivatives, which soon followed, were said to have "dethroned the captain of the men of death," such was their
If Alexander Fleming didn’t notice that there was something strange with the petri dish that contained Penicillium notatum, then the a big majority of people would not be alive today. Penicillin is antibiotic or group of antibiotics produced from specific blue molds. It can treat certain infections such as ear, throat, and skin infections, it can also be used to treat rheumatic fever and chorea, because of penicillin the death rate of people dying from these bacterial infections has incredibly decreased. Penicillin is one of the most important discoveries of medicine that has made an important impact because of how it changed the course of medicine, how it affected the World War 2, and how it changed the world globally.
Alexander discovered penicillin by just a weird accident; According to the article, when bacteriologist Alexander Fleming left for his vacation one day in September of 1928 he left a mess in his laboratory, when he came about one month later he noticed that every dish he had left out in the open was all covered in mold. He examined the dishes to see if they had been contaminated. Out of the sudden Fleming focused his attention in one particular dish. The dish that had caught the attention of Alexander was covered in a lot of mold specific the mold had staphylococci culture it had also grown a bit of yellow-green mold. Fleming noticed a ring in the mold but when examined it; The ring was bacteria-free. The molds name was Penicillium Notatum. This seemed very unusual to Alexander Fleming. Believe it or not that was how penicillin was discovered.
The intended audience was National History Day judges, but may include those who are trying to learn the history of antibiotics. This is identifiable from other sources by being a compilation of historical data as well as primary facts. This contributed as a secondary source from which readers can understand how antibiotics were discovered, rather than how they influenced medicine.
Penicillin was the first antibiotic discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. He observed a set of culture dishes that were used to grow staphylococcus. He saw that a mould was growing around the staphylococcus this mould produced a bacteria-free ring around itself. Two other scientists, Florey and Chain, developed penicillin into an effective drug. Penicillin was tested for over 20 years on both humans and animals. In 1941 scientists noticed that even low doses of penicillin that were produced prevented many deadl...
Fleming’s discovery marked the change of modern medicine. His penicillin testing soon led to better medication not only for the general population, but for the military too. Medical corps in WWII used this new treatment to the fullest extent, and society itself was made healthy again due to penicillin. Alexander Fleming is truly one of the leading biologists of our time, for without him, something as small as a common cold could well be
The discovery of antibiotics is attributed to Alexander Fleming who discovered the first antibiotic to be commercially used (Penicillin) in approximately 1928. An antibiotic, also known as an antimicrobial, is a medication that is taken in order to either destroy or slow the growth rate of bacteria. Antibiotics are integral to the success of many medical practises, such as; surgical procedures, organ transplants, the treatment of cancer and the treatment of the critically ill. (Ramanan Laxminarayan, 2013)
Alexander Fleming started the history of antibiotics in the 1920's with his discovery of penicillin.When penicillin was first discovered and used widely, it was touted as a wonder drug, and consequently was used as one.Though not necessarily harmful to the patient penicillin was used for much more infections than it was able to combat.Today the same practice is observed in the medical profession, however at this point it is due more to the detriment of an uneducated public.Studies have been carried out that show the huge over usage of antibiotics.In the seventies Soyka et al, concluded, "60% of physicians surveyed gave antibiotics for the treatment of the common cold."[3], and by common knowledge the common cold is a virus, something that cannot be treated by an antibiotic.Nyquist
Discovery and Development of Penicillin. (2014, April 4). Retrieved from American Chemical Society International Historic Chemical Landmarks: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/flemingpenicillin.html