When were antibiotics discovered?
Quick Answer
The antibiotic era began in 1928 with Alexander Fleming discovery of penicillin, though it took until the 1940s to become a usable drug.
The Full Story
The modern age of antibiotics began in 1928, when Alexander Fleming noticed that a mould killed bacteria in his laboratory, leading to the discovery of penicillin. It was not until the early 1940s that Howard Florey and Ernst Chain turned penicillin into a mass-produced medicine, just in time to treat wounded soldiers in World War Two. Antibiotics transformed medicine by making once-fatal bacterial infections routinely curable. Overuse has since driven the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"When Antibiotics Were Discovered — Medicine Turning Point"
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