Penicillin powder in bottle, England, 1942
Some of the earliest clinical trials of penicillin took place in Oxford, England, in early 1942. At first supplies were very limited. It is believed that this sample was recovered from the urine of patients treated with the antibiotic. Once clinical trials proved successful, penicillin was used for a wide range of infections and stimulated research into other antibiotics.
Object number:
1964-458/12
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: penicillin
The first antibiotic drug to treat infections which is made from the mould penicillium. Its discovery is attributed to Alexander Fleming in 1928.
Glossary: bottle
Vessels having a neck and mouth considerably narrower than the body, used for packaging and containing liquid and dry preparations
Glossary: antibiotic
A substance that is used to treat infections.