Discovery Of Penicillin

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DISCOVERY OF THE “MIRACLE DRUG”, PENICILLIN

During World War I, a young Scottish research scientist named Alexander Fleming worked at a special wound-research laboratory in Boulogne, France, under the leadership of Sir Almroth Wright. After witnessing many soldiers die from blood poisoning, Fleming knew first hand how devastating infectious bacteria could be to the human body. This was not just a major problem for wounded soldiers, but for the entire civilian population as well. At that time, many people died from common bacterial infections such as gonorrhea, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and syphilis. In fact, it was not uncommon for infections brought on by childbirth or even a small cut to result in death.
In an attempt to combat infection during the war, surgeons adopted the use of topical chemical antiseptics on wounds to kill bacteria, a treatment made famous by an English surgeon named Joseph Lister. Although this was a widely excepted practice, Fleming rejected this hypothesis and was able to prove his implication that applying chemical antiseptics to wounds actually damages the white blood corpuscles (leukocytes), which are the body’s first line of defense in preventing infections. Fleming demonstrated his implication by using cells on a slide to illustrate that antiseptics in dilutions were not only harmless to bacteria, but actually caused damage to leukocytes. In fact, his test also proved that it was pus that had its own antibacterial powers, not the chemical antiseptic. The results of his scientific experiments were the basis for his continued research on leukocytes and quest to find a safe substance that could combat bacteria.
After obtaining positive results from the use of salvarsan in treating patients infected with syphilis, he formed the hypothesis that there had to be a substance similar to salvarsan that could effectively kill infectious bacteria without harming leukocytes. This hypothesis led...