Antibiotics (Penicillin, 1928): Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin, the first true antibiotic, marked a turning point in medical history. Observing that a mold (Penicillium) killed bacteria in a petri dish, Fleming identified a substance that could combat bacterial infections without severely harming human cells. Mass production, developed during WWII, turned penicillin into a miracle drug, drastically reducing deaths from pneumonia, syphilis, gangrene, and wartime infections. It ushered in the antibiotic era, leading to the development of numerous drugs that saved millions of lives. Antibiotics made complex surgeries, organ transplants, and cancer treatments safer by preventing fatal infections. They transformed once-deadly diseases into treatable conditions, significantly increasing global life expectancy. However, overuse has led to antibiotic resistance, a major modern health threat. Despite this challenge, the discovery of antibiotics remains one of medicine’s greatest achievements, demonstrating the power of microbiology to combat infectious diseases and fundamentally altering the practice of medicine.
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