Alexander Fleming
Storyboard Description
The discovery of penicillin in 1928
Storyboard Text
- I am a bacteriologist at St Mary's Hospital.
- I am so happy to be going on holiday. I had better tidy up my laboratory. Many of these samples can be thrown away.
- Sometimes one finds what one is not looking for.
- Wow, this mould spore has killed all the bacteria around it. It seems to have a bacteria killing effect. That is marvelous.
- Alexander Fleming was a scientist who studied bacteria at St Mary's Hospital in England
- This new 'drug' is very useful, but how will I ever manage to make enough penicillin to cure all the people that will need to have it?
- His job entailed growing bacteria in gelatin to observe and report his finding. One day, in 1928, just before leaving for a holiday, he tidied his desk and threw away old samples. He accidentally left one petri dish on the table near an open window.
- Thank you for working with me to make this penicillin available to all people.
- Upon his return, he noticed that the bacteria sample had been infected by a mold spore that had come in through the window. It had killed all the bacteria around it. The mold spore had a bacteria-killing effect
- The invention of penicillin will help to save many sick soldiers.
- Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin. Penicillin could kill some harmful bacteria which cause sickness. People with colds recovered quickly after using this new penicillin.
- The problem was that it was difficult to make enough for everyone to use. Alexander collaborated with other scientists (Florey, Chain & Heatley) from Oxford University (1838-1941) to isolate the active compound and manufacture penicillin for public use.
- The invention of penicillin for mass production and public use came just in time before WW2 (1939-1945). Penicillin saved many lives then and continues to save lives today by killing certain harmful bacteria which would otherwise make us very sick.
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