science Q

First of all what are antibiotics? Antibiotics (anti=against,bios=life) are chemical substances produced by microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria which kills or stops the growth of disease causing microorganisms .

The first antibiotics was discovered by ALEXANDER FLEMING in 1798 by a fungus PENICILLIUM which was PENICILLIN

His research and study during his military career inspired him to discover naturally antiseptic enzyme in 1921, which he named lysozyme. This substance existed in tissues and secretions like mucus, tears and egg-white but it did not have much effect on the strongly harmful bacteria. Six years later; as a result of some intelligent serendipity, he stumbled on discovering penicillin. It was in 1928 when he observed while experimenting on influenza virus that a common fungus, Penicillium had destroyed bacteria in a staphylococcus culture plate. Upon subsequent investigation, he found out that mould juice had developed a bacteria-free zone which inhibited the growth of staphylococci. This newly discovered active substance was effective even when diluted up to 800 times. He named it penicillin.

He was knighted in 1944 and was given the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 for his extraordinary achievements which revolutionized the medical science.