Fleming inspired himself to investigate this further, and by doing so, he found that mold culture actually prevented the growth of the staphylococci. He named this active substance penicillin. Fleming found that penicillin was able to eliminate harmful bacteria, such as streptococcus, meningococcal and the diphtheria bacillus. Fleming documented his findings and published them in the British Journal of Experimental Pathology in June 1929. Later bacteriologists were able to develop this further into an anti-biotic...
Fleming inspired himself to investigate this further, and by doing so, he found that mold culture actually prevented the growth of the staphylococci. He named this active substance penicillin. Fleming found that penicillin was able to eliminate harmful bacteria, such as streptococcus, meningococcal and the diphtheria bacillus. Fleming documented his findings and published them in the British Journal of Experimental Pathology in June 1929. Later bacteriologists were able to develop this further into an anti-biotic form which was then mass produced and cured a lot of illness.
Flemings work has underpinned one of the most important medicine in our healthcare- the antibiotic. Without Fleming’s investigations, further scientists would not have been able to create a defense mechanism against bacterial infections, and not have been able to mass produce the first antibiotic. Fleming has enabled people all over the world to have access to something we take for granted in everyday life. Fleming made way for more discovery in the bacterial field by enabling scientists to discover other forms of antibiotics. Although this is one of the most important discoveries ever, many people were and still are unable to take penicillin due to allergic reactions. Not everyone was cured by penicillin, and often people died from their body’s reaction to the drug. This reaction was not discovered for many years after, which increased death rates.
