Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin, in 1928. The discovery was serendipitous. Fleming, a Scottish bacteriologist, was working at St. Mary's Hospital in London when he noticed that a petri dish containing Staphylococcus bacteria had been contaminated by a mold called Penicillium notatum. He observed that the bacteria around the mold seemed to be dying. This observation led him to further investigate the mold and its potential antibacterial properties.
The first person to be successfully treated with penicillin was Albert Alexander, a policeman in England. He had suffered a severe infection after scratching himself on a rose thorn in 1940. His infection worsened despite treatment with other antibiotics available at the time. However, when he was given penicillin, his condition significantly improved. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of penicillin, Alexander ultimately died because the supply ran out.
The successful mass production of penicillin and its widespread use during World War II can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of several scientists and researchers. Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, along with their team at the University of Oxford, played a crucial role in developing methods to produce penicillin in large quantities. Norman Heatley, another member of the team, developed techniques for isolating and purifying penicillin from the mold. Their work revolutionized medicine and led to the widespread use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections.

Ver todos los episodios