Patricio Joel Cavazos Gonzlez

#4
10A
Ecology
Discovery of penicillin
Observations and Questions
Why was Penicillin invented?
How Alexander Fleming discovered
this wonder drug?
Why is penicillin considered one of
the best medicines ever invented in
human life history?

Controlled Experiment
Fleming found that in controlled
experiments the mold killed harmful
bacteria and appeared to be nontoxic to humans and animals.
Unfortunately, Fleming was unable to
isolate and purify the antibacterial
element within the mold (penicillin)
and could not make a useful drug to

Record and Analysis of Data

Alexander Fleming was about to
throw the Petri dish containing the
penicillin.
He discovered the medicine by
accident.
The dish was infected when he came
back from vacations.

Background Research
Originally noticed by a French medical
student, Ernest Duchesne, in 1896.
Penicillin was re-discovered by
bacteriologist Alexander Fleming. He
observed that a plate culture of
Staphylococcus had been
contaminated by a mold. Curious,
Alexander Fleming grew the mold in a
pure culture and found that it
produced a substance that killed a
number of disease-causing bacteria.
After naming the substance penicillin,

Forming a Hypothesis
Alexander Fleming had the idea of
showing a Petri dish to his lab
assistant, this dish was contaminated
with a mold that had particularly
killed the substance in it, Fleming
thought that was strange, so he took
it and discovered penicillin, but many
years later, another scientist made it

Conclusion
For Alexander Fleming, he had just
discovered a very good drug, that
could kill a lot of bacteria and could
be given to animals without any
side effects, however within a year
Fleming moved on to other medical
issues, but still, for him it was a very
big discovery.

Personal reflection about this real-life scientific event:

A lot of years ago, Alexander Fleming made one of the biggest
discoveries in human life, the Penicillin, this wonder drug could
help a lot of people, at first it was just used with animals, but the
help it provided was spectacular. In class we saw the history of
Alexander Fleming, which I think was brilliant. This scientist went
on vacations after making an experiment, when he came back; he
saw the results of an infection.
This man provided us with this medicine which we still use in
these days to treat the ill. Fleming will always be remembered
because he brought to use this beautiful medicine.

References:
Mary Bellis. (2014). The History of Penicillin. Retrieved from:
http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/Penicillin.htm
Michael Anderson. (2011). Alexander Fleming. Retrieved from:
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/articles/alexander_fleming.html
Chris Trueman. (2013, May). Alexander Fleming and Penicillin. Retrieved from:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/alexander_fleming_and_penicillin.htm