Poverty, hunger and disease were three of the most fatal beings for mankind, but the deadliest being diseases. Before the 1940s, doctors had no effective management of infections such as gonorrhoea and pneumonia. An illustration of this, found that patients with blood poisoning, caused by cuts or scratches, were left hoping that their immune system could fight it because they would have to choose between amputating and death. This was the case for many because there was no known medicine that could fight these illness’ or diseases. Until 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. This essay will describe the discovery of penicillin, how it came about then it will look at the importance of penicillin at the time of World War II and finally
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Mary’s Hospital in London, in one of the dishes Alexander Fleming noticed that some mould began to grow. Looking closer, there appeared to be no bacteria growing close to the mould. More tests were done and Fleming discovered that some of the most dangerous bacteria's died near to the mould, this proved lethal to germs, even when greatly diluted it was still effective. Fleming realised at this point this was something important. So that caused Fleming to discover the first antibiotic which he named penicillin. At the time of Flemings discovery of penicillin it was not pure enough to be injected into a human body, this caused Fleming to publish what was discovered. Attempts, by Fleming, to purify and extract penicillins essence failed. It was not until 1939 that Dr Ernst Chain and Sir Howard Florey, of University of Oxford in United Kingdom, had been able to make penicillin useful and effective to humans after it was considered to be a difficult task. Penicillin had been tested in 1941, at that time World War II had already engulfed Europe and it seemed to be the right time to trial it on …show more content…
One of the largest reasons for death during this period was caused by diseases. Bacterial diseases such as, staphylococcus and streptococcus, claimed the lives of many. Troops would dig trenches to hide from enemies, they had to get used to spending long periods of time in the trenches with disembodied parts. As an example of this it was essentially a breeding ground for all types of diseases, with death due to these factors such a large part of the war. When penicillin was used during this time it reduced the number of amputation and deaths greatly, for this reason, the discovery and achievement of penicillin saw Dr Ernst Chain, Sir Howard Florey and Alexander Fleming share a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1945. Their achievements have helped paved the way the world views antibiotics
Mary’s Hospital in London, in one of the dishes Alexander Fleming noticed that some mould began to grow. Looking closer, there appeared to be no bacteria growing close to the mould. More tests were done and Fleming discovered that some of the most dangerous bacteria's died near to the mould, this proved lethal to germs, even when greatly diluted it was still effective. Fleming realised at this point this was something important. So that caused Fleming to discover the first antibiotic which he named penicillin. At the time of Flemings discovery of penicillin it was not pure enough to be injected into a human body, this caused Fleming to publish what was discovered. Attempts, by Fleming, to purify and extract penicillins essence failed. It was not until 1939 that Dr Ernst Chain and Sir Howard Florey, of University of Oxford in United Kingdom, had been able to make penicillin useful and effective to humans after it was considered to be a difficult task. Penicillin had been tested in 1941, at that time World War II had already engulfed Europe and it seemed to be the right time to trial it on …show more content…
One of the largest reasons for death during this period was caused by diseases. Bacterial diseases such as, staphylococcus and streptococcus, claimed the lives of many. Troops would dig trenches to hide from enemies, they had to get used to spending long periods of time in the trenches with disembodied parts. As an example of this it was essentially a breeding ground for all types of diseases, with death due to these factors such a large part of the war. When penicillin was used during this time it reduced the number of amputation and deaths greatly, for this reason, the discovery and achievement of penicillin saw Dr Ernst Chain, Sir Howard Florey and Alexander Fleming share a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1945. Their achievements have helped paved the way the world views antibiotics