Alexander Fleming discovered?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Explanation

Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, which became the first widely used antibiotic.
The discovery was accidental; he noticed that the mold Penicillium notatum inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus bacteria on a culture dish.
This groundbreaking discovery laid the foundation for modern antibiotic therapy, transforming the treatment of bacterial infections.

Option B: X-rays were not discovered by Alexander Fleming. This discovery is credited to the German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen.
Option C: Streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis, was discovered by a research team led by Selman Waksman at Rutgers University in 1943.
Option D: The telephone is an invention in the field of communication, not medicine. It was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Scientific Discoveries as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Penicillin and its derivatives are still fundamental in treating a wide range of bacterial infections, including strep throat, syphilis, and pneumonia.
A critical nursing responsibility is to always assess for penicillin allergies before administration. Allergic reactions can vary from a mild skin rash to severe, life-threatening anaphylaxis.
What if? If a patient has a documented severe allergy to penicillin, the nurse must withhold the medication, clearly label the patient's chart and wristband, and communicate with the prescriber to obtain an order for a suitable alternative antibiotic, such as a macrolide or clindamycin.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of major figures and events in the history of science and medicine.
First, identify the key individual named in the question stem: Alexander Fleming.
Access your knowledge base about Alexander Fleming's primary contribution to science. He is overwhelmingly famous for one specific discovery.
Systematically evaluate each option to see which one matches Fleming's known discovery.
Eliminate the incorrect options by associating them with their correct discoverers: Röntgen with X-rays, Waksman with Streptomycin, and Bell with the telephone.
Confirm that Penicillin is the correct discovery attributed to Alexander Fleming.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Microbiology Applied AnjuDhir 3e Part 1 p. 36-38

E6 Pharmacology KD Tripathi Essentials 9e Part 3 p. 47-49

Practise the full NHM UP Staff Nurse - 2017

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.