| Person/Factor | Date | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Fleming | 1928 | Discovered mould killed bacteria. Named it penicillin. Published findings but couldn't purify it. |
| Florey & Chain (Oxford) | 1939-40 | Purified penicillin. Tested on mice (cured infection). First human test 1941. |
| War | 1941-44 | Soldiers dying from infected wounds. Massive demand for any cure. Government priority. |
| US Government | 1941-44 | Funded mass production. By D-Day (1944), enough for all Allied casualties. |
| Technology | 1940s | Deep fermentation method allowed industrial-scale production. |
This key facts covers The Development of Penicillin within Penicillin for GCSE History. Revise Penicillin in Medicine Through Time for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 2 of 14 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Penicillin
In which year did Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?
Which two scientists purified penicillin and made it usable as a medicine?
Quick recall flashcards
Who developed penicillin for use?
Howard Florey and Ernst Chain (Oxford, 1939-41)
What is an antibiotic?
A substance produced by a living organism (like the Penicillium mould) that kills bacteria. Penicillin was the first antibiotic — unlike magic bullets, it was natural, not synthetic.