Penicillin

Joseph Lister was an english sugeon who is most famous for his use of carbolic acid during sugery.

He didn't play much of a role, however it is important to know that Fleming was not the first to discover the penicillin mould.

• In 1872 Joseph Lister noticed that the mould killed other bacteria
• In 1884 he used it to treat a nurse who had an infected wound.
• However, he never used it again.
  

Alexander Fleming was a scottish microbiologist who discovered penicillin.

Although he did get the ball rolling- he didn't finish it. He gave up on his discovery however did write his findings down for Florey and Chain to pick up later..

• He studied at St Mary's Hospital
  
• He was interested in microbes causing tetanus and gangrene, and searched for substances to fight them
• In 1928 he observed that a mould had grown in a culture of bacteria and killed the bacteria around it. He called the active substance in the mould penicillin
• He made a list of the germs it killed, and used it to treat a scientist's eye infection
• He wrote his findings in 1929 in a journal.
  

Florey was an Australian Oxford researcher. Chain was an Oxford biochemist.   It is debateable that these two individuals are the most important as they got the drug mass produced.

• 1938 Florey & Chain were researching how germs could be killed and came across Fleming's article.
• They tried to get funding from the British government, but they could only give them £25 because the war was happening.
  
• Florey was determined and went to the US and got funding for 5 years
• By 1941 they had enough to test on Albert Alexander- a policeman who was dying.
  
• They kept recycling his urine to get as much as possible, but they eventually ran out and he died.
  
• 1941 Pearl Harbour was attacked by the japanese.
  
• The US government realised the potential and made interest free loans to companies to buy the expensive equipments.

War

• The outbreak of WW2 meant that it was important to develop penicillin. 
• The americans were keen to develop the drug for soldiers
  
• Fleming was investigating infected wounds of WW1 soldiers. 

Chance

• It is suspected that the mould in Fleming's experiments blew in from an open window.
  
• Fleming left a pile of dirty bacteria dishes out and went on holiday
• Fleming noticed a change in one of the dishes. 
  

Communications

• Florey and Chain read Fleming's papers on Penicillin
• Florey flew to the US to interest American drug companies in developing the drug.
  

Government

• Fleming did not get funded so he stopped researching
• The British government could only afford to give Florey and Chain £25, so they went to America
• The American government made interest free loans to drug companies.
  

Key Dates;

• 1872 Joseph Lister noticed mould
• 1884 used it to treat nurse

• 1928 Fleming discovered penicillin
• 1929 wrote findings in a medical journal

• 1938 Florey and Chain started researching
• 1941 had enough to test on one person
• 1941 Pearl Harbour
• 1944 D-Day
• 1944 Fleming made ''Man of the Year'
  

Fleming, Florey and Chain all won the Nobel Prize for Physiology + Medicine for the discovery and development of penicillin.

Who do you think deserved the credit?

Fleming:

• Discovered the drug, even though people such as Lister have discovered the mould before him
• He found the drug by chance, however he did stop to look at it further
• A friend of Fleming said that he thought he "didn't deserve the Nobel Prize" however "couldn't help enjoying all the undeserved fame."

Florey + Chain:

• They found drew the drug into the public eye and got it mass produced
• They tested the drug, which Fleming failed to do