Penicillin, a type of mold developed into a widely used antibiotic, was accidentally discovered in the 1900s and refined into the commonplace drug used around the world today. Many events have contributed to the discovery and development of penicillin, including the accidental discovery in a lab, the development of penicillin for medical use, and a way to mass produce penicillin at an affordable price. Penicillin was first discovered in 1928 when Alexander Fleming, a bacteriologist, returned home after a vacation and found a rare spore named Penicillium Notatum which had bacteria killing properties. Fleming had left his workplace in a mess before he went on vacation, so all of his petri dishes seemed to be contaminated when he returned. …show more content…
Florey and Chain began investigating the medicinal uses of Penicillin in 1938 because of World War 2. In the text, “Discovery of Penicillin: The True Story”, Connors states, “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. When they finally determined a way for penicillin to be safely administered to humans, the drug was mass-produced and used on the war front. It saved many lives.” Florey and Chain found a successful way to administer the drug to humans and mass-produced it to help wounded soldiers in the war effort. Also, they were able to find the potential of penicillin as a medicine. As a result of Florey and Chain’s research and development of penicillin as a medicine, the production and usage of the drug …show more content…
Andrew J. Moyer and Dr. Heatly were able to find a method to mass-produce penicillin and make it available to more people. In the early 1940s, Dr. Moyer and Dr. Heatly succeeded in producing penicillin on a large scale. Their hard work in November 26, 1941, increased, “the yields of penicillin 10 times” (Bellis). Together, Dr. Moyer and Dr. Heatly were able to greatly increase the production speed and volume of penicillin. Because of Moyer and Heatly’s efforts, penicillin became available to all who needed it from young to old, and the prices dropped drastically. As mentioned by Brittany Connors, “...the drug was mass-produced and used on the war front. It saved many lives.” After the mass production of penicillin, it was able to be used on soldiers to kill bacteria in exposed wounds. The availability of penicillin helped save many lives during the war, saving many soldiers from death. The hard work of Dr. Andrew J. Moyer and Dr. Heatly made the mass production and use of penicillin possible for all who needed
Florey and Chain developed a system of growing penicillin: which was complicated initially, and tested its effectiveness on mice. The tests were successful and the two men became convinced that the drug would cure many people who would otherwise die. Florey and Chain were unable to expand on the development of the drug, as mass production was not financially feasible at the time. In June 1941, Florey travelled to America to try and interest drug companies there in developing penicillin. Due to the bombing of Pearl Harbour, the United States became involved in the Second World War.
Adegoke AA, Tom M, Okoh AI, Jacob S (2010) Studies on multiple antibiotic resistant bacterial isolated from surgical site infection. Scient Res. Essays 5:3876-81.
Penicillin is an antibiotic that kills bacteria, sufficiently treating any injuries. This drug was invented before the war, but had its major outbreak during World War II. Once scientists discovered the potential of penicillin, they aggressively started to pursue methods to mass produce the drug. The mass production of penicillin saved many American lives and led to our victory during World War II.
The contributions of several doctors, researchers, and scientists helped improve the health of the growing population. In 1850 the average life expectancy was 42 years. By 1910 the average life expectancy had risen to nearly 55 years. Between 1850 and 1910 there were several advances in the medical field. The introduction of genes, white blood cells, blood groups, insulin, rubber gloves, aspirin, and vitamins and the discoveries of Pasteur, Charcot, Halsted, Zirm, Lister, and Koch were the starting point of an international fight against disease.
Did you know there was a time where infectious diseases like the common cold could kill you and your family? This was the elizabethan era probably the last time where sickness became the “grimm reaper” before modern medical advancements. With infectious diseases spreading and killing so many people doctors became desperate. Because these doctors knew very little about medicine, they were completely willing to try experimental treatments on their patients (Alchin). Sadly just about anybody with an infectious disease died. All the knowledge these doctors knew were based on: Humours, what brain function each internal organ controls, and how to protect themselves from it.
Medical procedures and inventions are constantly being developed and made better. World War 1 was a time in which many of the procedures used today were first thought of and used. It was a time that inspired the doctors and nurses working today, not to mention the fact that it’s a topic that still affects everyone in the world today. Medical advancements made during World War 1 had a major impact on the world as evidenced by those advancements still in use today.
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.
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 become a popular treatment for numerous infections ranging from respiratory illness to syphilis. As society realized the benefits of penicillin, physicians began producing antibiotics to fight an infinite number of illnesses.... ... middle of paper ...
Bandages have been a part of history since ancient times. In ancient Egypt, honey was used to heal wounds, and in ancient Greece, they used a mixture of vinegar and fig leaves. And in more recent years we used bandages made of gauze, and attached them with adhesive tape. This process was a hassle, so, in 1920, one couple created the solution, an adhesive bandage that can now be found in almost every house, school, or office.
The improvement of medicine over the course of the human successes gave great convenience to the people of today. Science has cured and prevented many illnesses from occurring and is on its way to cure some of the most dreadful and harmful illnesses. As the world modernizes due to the industrialization, so does the ways of medicine. Some cures are approached by chance, some, through intense, scientific measures.
Since the dawn of man, humans have dreaded the suffering caused by injuries and disease. For our benefit, we have enhanced the practices of Medicine and its techniques, but before such ideas existed; the risk of recovery was extremely traumatic and at times fatal. We have abandoned several of the medical procedures used in ancient times since intrepid scientists and physicians sought methods. Although medicine was not always a science, instead it was magic, thus god were trusted for a few techniques more than actual logic. Therefore, the history of medicine has been disturbing and dangerous, but a good number of its practices today used in a more modern way, is quite beneficial to humanity.
of medicine. Born on the island of Kos, Greece in the year 460 b.c., says the
Thesis: With the advent of antibiotics in 1929 Fleming said, "The time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops.Then there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant."With the overuse of antibiotics today we have seen this very idea come to be.Over usage is caused most prevalently by a lack of education on the part of the patient.Thus stated, the way to overcome such a circumstance is to educate, not only the patient but also the physician.
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
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)