Medicine Through TimeDeep Dive
Development of Sulphonamides (1930s)
Part of Magic Bullets — GCSE History
This deep dive covers Development of Sulphonamides (1930s) within Magic Bullets for GCSE History. Revise Magic Bullets in Medicine Through Time for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 3 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 3 of 13 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 3 of 13
Practice
8 questions
Recall
3 flashcards
🧠 Development of Sulphonamides (1930s)
1932: Gerhard Domagk (German) tested Prontosil — a red dye that killed streptococcal bacteria.
How: The active ingredient was sulphonamide (a synthetic chemical compound that inhibits bacterial growth). Scientists developed many "sulpha drugs" from this.
Impact: First drugs effective against blood poisoning, pneumonia, scarlet fever. Saved many lives in WW2.
Limitation: Only worked on some bacteria. Didn't kill all infections. Side effects common.