Fleming, Florey and Chain

Question 1

Doings of Fleming, Florey and Chain

Answer 1

• Accidentally discovered the first working “magic bullet” that fit it’s purpose.
• Florey and Chain built on Fleming’s work and made penicillin available to use.

Question 2

Significance of Penicillin

Answer 2

• Fleming’s discovery by chance was a stepping stone.
• Florey and Chain demonstrated how penicillin could be used as an effective drug, persuading governments to invest in it.
• Scientific inquiry and discovery led to it being tested, proven and developed quickly (America funded enough money for 5 years research; led to mass-production).
• WW2 provided need for penicillin and encouraged cooperations to mass-produce.
• Governments recognised potential of it and provided the money to develop it (major help from America - treated wounded soldiers on D-Day with 2.3 million doses).

Question 3

Insignificance of Penicillin

Answer 3

• Fleming didn’t know how to make it into an effective drug.
• Expensive: dosage needed was 3000x more than a mouse - first patient did not have enough so started to recover but died.
• Initially not enough funding due to the war; and doses required could not be made.
• Only made popular later in 1944-45.

Question 4

Time of Penicillin’s impact

Answer 4

1928-1945 or early to mid 1900s