Penicillin: The Most Impactful Drug in the World
Benjamin Garden
Penicillin
There are very few drugs in history that have completely revolutionized the medical industry. Penicillin is known to be the most impactful drug in the world. It saved millions of lives throughout the 20th century acting not only as a life savor, but also as a sign of hope that common terminal illnesses could be cured. Penicillin expedited recovery time in World War II therefore allowing more soldiers to keep fighting for their country. The discovery and mass production of penicillin greatly impacted the mid-1900 's because it depleted the fear of common bacterial illness, ignited the age of antibiotics, and it had an enormous impact on World War II. Penicillin depleted the fear of common bacterial illness in the homes of many people across the world. Penicillin cured most of mankind 's most feared diseases in history such as pneumonia, meningitis, scarlet fever and syphilis. "Penicillin forever altered the treatment of bacterial infections and was recognized as the most life-saving drug in the world" (Derderian 5). "…Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, which was eventually called a 'wonder drug ' because of its ability to cure a wide range of often-fatal bacterial infections" (Alexander Fleming 1). Penicillin in the mid-1900 's was recognized as a "wonder drug" and as the most life- saving medicine of all time. As people stared to hear of the accolades of penicillin, they began to start letting go of the fear of catching the once life threatening diseases of which they had nightmares previously. Penicillin impacted the mid-century because it allowed people to live more freely without having the constant fear of catching a disease that could end their lives. The discovery and mass production of penicillin provided the motivation scientists needed to be able to connect chemistry with medicine. Penicillin is credited as the creator of chemotherapy, which is the treatment of disease by chemicals (The Discovery and Importance).
Penicillin
There are very few drugs in history that have completely revolutionized the medical industry. Penicillin is known to be the most impactful drug in the world. It saved millions of lives throughout the 20th century acting not only as a life savor, but also as a sign of hope that common terminal illnesses could be cured. Penicillin expedited recovery time in World War II therefore allowing more soldiers to keep fighting for their country. The discovery and mass production of penicillin greatly impacted the mid-1900 's because it depleted the fear of common bacterial illness, ignited the age of antibiotics, and it had an enormous impact on World War II. Penicillin depleted the fear of common bacterial illness in the homes of many people across the world. Penicillin cured most of mankind 's most feared diseases in history such as pneumonia, meningitis, scarlet fever and syphilis. "Penicillin forever altered the treatment of bacterial infections and was recognized as the most life-saving drug in the world" (Derderian 5). "…Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, which was eventually called a 'wonder drug ' because of its ability to cure a wide range of often-fatal bacterial infections" (Alexander Fleming 1). Penicillin in the mid-1900 's was recognized as a "wonder drug" and as the most life- saving medicine of all time. As people stared to hear of the accolades of penicillin, they began to start letting go of the fear of catching the once life threatening diseases of which they had nightmares previously. Penicillin impacted the mid-century because it allowed people to live more freely without having the constant fear of catching a disease that could end their lives. The discovery and mass production of penicillin provided the motivation scientists needed to be able to connect chemistry with medicine. Penicillin is credited as the creator of chemotherapy, which is the treatment of disease by chemicals (The Discovery and Importance).
Cited: The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, 1993. Print. Erberle, Irmengarde. Modern Medical Discoveries. New York: Crowell, 1968. Print. Bush, Karen. Antimicrobial Therapeutics Reviews. Boston, MA: Published by Blackwell Pub. on Behalf of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2010. Print.