Magic Bullets

Question 1

What’s a magic bullet

Answer 1

A chemical cure that attacks microbes causing disease in the body without harming healthy cells

Question 2

Give two examples of magic bullets and their uses

Answer 2

Prontosil: cure for pneumonia
Salvarsan: cure syphilis

Question 3

Who discovered Salvarsan? What was the process?

Answer 3

Paul Ehrlich, tested 600+ arsenic compounds by 1907 but most attacked the body as well as syphilis.
In 1909 tested all compounds again and found that arsenic 606 cured syphilis and didn’t harm the body, making Salvarsan 606 the first magic bullet

Question 4

Who discovered prontosil? What was the process?

Answer 4

1932, a bright red dye called prontosil killed bacterial infections in mice, Gerhard Domagk was forced to test it on his daughter who had blood poisoning and she was cured.

Question 5

Why did prontosil work?

Answer 5

Preventing bacteria from multiplying in the body, making it possible for the immune system to kill the bacteria

Question 6

What was prontosil also known as

Answer 6

Bacteriostatic antibiotics

Question 7

What other drug was developed in 1938 which treated Winston Churchill for pneumonia

Answer 7

M&B 693
(Another bacteriostatic antibiotic)

Question 8

What other drug was developed in 1938 which treated Winston Churchill for pneumonia in WW2

Answer 8

M&B 693
(Another bacteriostatic antibiotic)