Antibiotics were first scientifically discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming when he identified penicillin, the first true antibiotic. However, the use of antibiotic-like substances dates back to ancient times when remedies like moldy bread were used to treat infections. The modern antibiotic era started with Fleming's discovery, but the mass production and medical application of penicillin began in the early 1940s, leading to the "Golden Age of Antibiotics" from the 1940s to mid-1960s.
Key Milestones in Antibiotic Invention
- Ancient civilizations used antibiotic-like substances (e.g., moldy bread) for wound treatment.
- In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin at St. Mary's Hospital, London, observing its bacteria-killing properties.
- Penicillin's potential as a therapeutic drug was further developed in the early 1940s by scientists including Howard Florey and Ernst Chain.
- The mass production of penicillin during World War II marked the beginning of widespread antibiotic use.
- The first synthetic antibiotic, salvarsan, was discovered earlier in 1910, used to treat syphilis.
Thus, the invention of antibiotics in the modern scientific sense dates primarily to 1928 with penicillin, with practical and widespread use beginning in the 1940s.
