Re: did Alexander Flemming invent penicilin?

Alexander Fleming, a Scottish bacteriologist, is usually credited with the 
discovery of penicillin.  He accidentally discovered it in 1928 while 
working with a bacterial culture of Staphylococcus Aureus.  The bacteria 
were contaminated with a mold (penicillin notatum) that killed them.  He 
named the mold penicillin.

In 1945, Alexander Fleming, Ernst Boris Chain, and Howard Walter Florey 
jointly received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of penicillin and its 
curative effect in various infectious diseases.

Chain and Florey isolated penicillin in its pure form 11 years after 
Fleming's initial discovery.  They performed the first clinical trials of 
penicillin.  These two scientists also helped develop steps for penicillin 
production.

Although Fleming was the actually discoverer of penicillin, without Florey 
and Chain, penicillin might have remained a substance of no practical 
importance.  Thus, all 3 scientists are credited with the discovery of 
penicillin.

A good wesite to check out is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/medicine/nonint/modern/dt/modtfc.shtml

Bonnie