careless - accidental discovery
the benefit of seemingly chance observation - in a trash
the yellow magic that changed the world - by myrasya munira.
sir. alexander fleming, a scottish researcher at Queen Mary Hospital had discovered penicillin in 1928 after his discovery of lysozymes, an enzyme which has antibacterial properties that is found in tears and mucous.
sir fleming works with group of bacteria staphylococci had frequent contamination from airborne mold. in one incident upon returning from holiday, he found that most of his works were contaminated and discarded them in a tray of lysol. he later realised that there were unusual inhibition zone around the fungus on the cultures that were not submerged in the lysol. from then on, he began investigation and subsequently isolated the extract from the mold and continued working on its antibacterial properties. he named it penicillin.
penicillin is yellowish in color and called the yellow magic due to its bright yellow color in the culture. the crude extract of penicillin is far more powerful antibacterial compound compared to lysozymes, as it works effectively even at 1,000 times dilution. (tears won't kill bacteria as much - but maybe soothe broken heart)
the discovery of penicillin was the pinnacle of british success in world war II as it saved many comrades from infections related to battlefield wounds. in pre-penicillin world war I, many comrades died from pneumonia and menigitis caused by bacterial infections. it also helped to reduce amputations and death during the war.
according to record, even with 400 million units of penicillin produced in the first five months of 1943, the supply were not enough to treat the patients at that time. therefore by the end of world war II, pharmaceutical companies in the u.s made about 650 billion units per month and this changed the world of medicine tremendously.
the benefit of seemingly chance observation - in a trash
the yellow magic that changed the world - by myrasya munira.
sir. alexander fleming, a scottish researcher at Queen Mary Hospital had discovered penicillin in 1928 after his discovery of lysozymes, an enzyme which has antibacterial properties that is found in tears and mucous.
sir fleming works with group of bacteria staphylococci had frequent contamination from airborne mold. in one incident upon returning from holiday, he found that most of his works were contaminated and discarded them in a tray of lysol. he later realised that there were unusual inhibition zone around the fungus on the cultures that were not submerged in the lysol. from then on, he began investigation and subsequently isolated the extract from the mold and continued working on its antibacterial properties. he named it penicillin.penicillin is yellowish in color and called the yellow magic due to its bright yellow color in the culture. the crude extract of penicillin is far more powerful antibacterial compound compared to lysozymes, as it works effectively even at 1,000 times dilution. (tears won't kill bacteria as much - but maybe soothe broken heart)
the discovery of penicillin was the pinnacle of british success in world war II as it saved many comrades from infections related to battlefield wounds. in pre-penicillin world war I, many comrades died from pneumonia and menigitis caused by bacterial infections. it also helped to reduce amputations and death during the war.
according to record, even with 400 million units of penicillin produced in the first five months of 1943, the supply were not enough to treat the patients at that time. therefore by the end of world war II, pharmaceutical companies in the u.s made about 650 billion units per month and this changed the world of medicine tremendously.
