Accession No

6136

Brief Description

glass-topped container with spore of Fleming’s original penicillium notatum strain (penicillin), English, created in 1928, encapsulated in 1953

Origin

Maker

Class

biology

Earliest Date

1928

Latest Date

1953

Inscription Date

Material

Glass; metal; paper; organic (mould)

Dimensions

Diameter 53mm; height 3mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Loan from a private individual, 02/07/2007, then converted to a donation in 2022. Previously owned by R. W. G. Norrish, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1967, and from 1953-5 was President of the Faraday Society. From Alexander Fleming's original penicillium notatum strain, encapsulated in 1953.

Inscription

“Alexander Fleming
1953”
(back of container)

Description Notes

Glass-topped and -bottomed container with spore of Fleming’s original penicillium notatum strain (penicillin), English, 1953.

Inscription on reverse side in orange marker pen.

Condition: fair. Glass is severely fractured on top side of container and spore is damaged in places.

References

Events

Description
Alexander Fleming is the person most often associated with the discovery of penicillin. Whilst looking through his abandoned collection of petri dishes, he noticed that on one of the dishes, a mould had started to grow. Upon closer inspection, Fleming realised that the mould had killed the bacteria surrounding it. He then carried out more tests on the penicillin mould, determining that it did have the capacity to fight disease effectively, however, he concluded that it was not possible to make enough of the penicillin for it to be of any use. It was only when Florey and Chain, two scientists, found Fleming’s article on penicillin and started to develop it and produce it in large quantities for use during World War Two that penicillin became of any use to treat patients.

FM:46605