Penicillin was discovered by

Appeared in: RRB Staff Nurse Jaipur-6th June 2018

Explanation

Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish physician and microbiologist, discovered penicillin in 1929.
The discovery was accidental; he observed that the mold Penicillium notatum inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus bacteria on a culture plate.
This substance, penicillin, was the world's first mass-produced antibiotic.
For their work on penicillin, Fleming, Howard Florey, and Ernst Chain were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945.

Option A: Michael Faraday was a physicist and chemist, not a microbiologist. His work was foundational to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry.
Option C: William Harvey was an English physician who made seminal contributions to anatomy and physiology.
Option D: Charles Goodyear was an American self-taught chemist and manufacturing engineer who developed vulcanized rubber.

Visual 1: Photograph - A portrait of Sir Alexander Fleming, which helps students associate the name with the person.
Visual 2: Diagram - An illustration of Fleming's original petri dish showing the zone of inhibition where the Penicillium mold stopped bacterial growth, visually explaining the discovery.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Microbiology and Pharmacology as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
The discovery of penicillin marked the beginning of the antibiotic era, which revolutionized medicine by providing effective treatment for previously fatal bacterial infections.
As a nurse, it is critical to assess for penicillin allergies before administration, as it is one of the most common drug allergies and can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Understanding the history of antibiotics helps in appreciating the current challenge of antimicrobial resistance, a major global health threat.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question based on the history of medicine.
Identify the key term in the question stem: 'Penicillin'.
Scan the options, which are all names of famous historical figures.
Access your knowledge base to link the discovery of penicillin to the correct scientist.
Sir Alexander Fleming is universally credited with the discovery of penicillin.
Eliminate the other options by recalling their distinct and unrelated contributions: Faraday (physics), Harvey (blood circulation), and Goodyear (vulcanized rubber).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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