Modern: Treatments Flashcards
What bacteria was killing soldiers in WW1?
Staphylococcus
When was penicillin discovered?
1928
Who discovered penicillin?
Alexander Fleming
How did Fleming discover penicillin?
- Left staphylococcus germs on a bench and went on holiday
- Returns to find that a mould had grown which killed the germs
- A spore had floated upstairs into his laboratory.
Why did penicillin take a while to become known as an antibiotic?
At first, it was thought to just be a natural antiseptic
Who were Howard Florey and Ernst Chain?
Scientists in the 1930s: developed pencillin
How much did Florey and Chain receive from the government to develop penicillin?
£25
What did Florey and Chain first test on and why was this a problem?
Mice.
They needed 3000x the amount to test on humans
Who was Albert Alexander?
The first human to be given penicillin - infection cleared
What happed in the 1940s?
Penicillin was mass produced in the US.
How many humans could penicillin treat from the early-mid 1940s? (Progression)
1943 - 1000
End of war - 250,000
How did penicillin develop public health and treatments? (Long-term)
Led to the creation of new antibiotics that saved millions of lives
What was developed during WW2?
1940s: Chemotherapy
