Alexander Fleming, Florey and Chain

Question 1

What happened in 1928?

Answer 1

• Alexander Fleming discovered some mould growing and killing a culture of bacteria
• He wrote up his findings and published hem in 1929
• However, Fleming could not get funding to develop his theory further

Question 2

Who discovered penicillin?

Answer 2

Alexander Fleming

Question 3

When did Fleming discover penicillin?

Answer 3

1928

Question 4

Who mass produced penicillin?

Answer 4

Florey and Chain

Question 5

What happened in 1939?

Answer 5

After the WWII broke out, Florey and Chain received government funding to develop penicillin for use on humans.

Question 6

How did Florey and Chain mass produce penicillin?

Answer 6

They, along with their research team, grew penicillin in milk bottles and freeze-dried it. They tested it on mice and it was successful.

Question 7

When did Florey and Chain test penicillin on a patient? What happened?

Answer 7

1. In 1941
2. The patient was seriously ill and got better after he was given penicillin but died because they did not have enough to cure him.

Question 8

How did the American government contribute to the production of penicillin?

Answer 8

In 1942 they donated $80 million to drugs companies to fund the mass production of penicillin. It was heavily used by Allied troops after D-Day.

Question 9

What happened after the war?

Answer 9

When the war ended in 1945, penicillin was mass produced for the civilian market.

Question 10

What was significant about penicillin?

Answer 10

• It was the first antibiotic to be discovered and developed.
• This means that it was the first drug that could be used on a range of diseases not just one, unlike magic bullets