Alexander Fleming ' S Miraculous Discovery of Penicillin

Antibiotics, chemicals produced by microorganisms that kill other microorganisms, were discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Antibiotics kill bacteria by breaking down their cell walls (Sun, 2005). As a result, they are effective treatments for bacterial infections. Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, people with simple wounds and infectious diseases could not be treated. These people often died. Alexander Fleming's background is very interesting because he was involved in many different things throughout his life. He was born on August 6, 1881, in Lochfield, Scotland and came from a large family (McGill, 2000). Fleming grew up in a sheep farming family (Ho, 1999). As a child, he spent much of his time outdoors. He was very interested in nature, asking himself how and why things worked the way they did. When Fleming was 14 years old, he went to London to go to school while working for a shipping company (McGill, 2000). He later entered medical school at St. Mary's Hospital of London (McGill, 2000). Early in his medical life, he became interested in bacteria (Sun, 2005). In 1906, Fleming earned his degree in bacteriology (McGill, 2000). He remained at St. Mary's as a researcher and teacher (McGill, 2000). He later joined the Army Medical Corps in 1914, when World War I began (McGill, 2000). During World War I, he was working hard to find a chemical cure for infection (McGill, 2000). In 1918, he discovered an antibacterial enzyme in tears and saliva called lysozyme (McGill, 2000). In 1943, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society and knighted in 1944 (Sun, 2005). In 1945, Fleming was one of three scientists to receive the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine (Penicillin). Furthermore, in his career, he received various honorable titles (Sun, 2005). One such honor was Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology granted by the University of London (Sun, 2005). Sadly, Alexander Fleming died in 1955 because of a heart attack (McGill, 2000). Fleming was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral with other heroes of Great Britain (McGill, 2000). Fleming was motivated by the desire to help mankind, which led him to look for antibiotics (Sun, 2005). The political environment at the time Fleming discovered penicillin, in 1928, was unstable. Many wars were happening during the time Fleming discovered penicillin. Prior to World War I and II, in 1900, the Boer War broke out between England and the colonies in Southern Africa (Penicillin). After, World War I started in 1914 and ended in 1918. During World War I, Fleming saw many soldiers die (Penicillin). These soldiers did not only die from combat wounds, but also from blood poisoning (Penicillin). World War II followed in the year 1939 and ended in 1945. During this period, soldiers were dying and could have lived if penicillin had been mass produced and easily obtained (Ho, 1999). Fortunately, by D-Day June 6, 1944, there was enough penicillin to treat every soldier that needed it (Ho, 1999). Penicillin saved millions of lives by the end of World War II (Ho, 1999). It was used for more than battle wounds. For instance, during World War I, the death rate from pneumonia totaled 18% in the American Army (Penicillin). However, during World War II, the death rate from pneumonia fell to less ALEXANDER FLEMING'S MIRACULOUS DISCOVERY OF PENICILLIN