Alexander Fleming

Date of Birth: August 6, 1881

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: March 11, 1955

Biography

Sir Alexander Fleming was a Scottish bacteriologist and pharmacologist, best known for his discovery of the enzyme lysozyme in 1923 and the antibiotic substance penicillin in 1928, which has saved countless lives. Born into a farming family, Fleming’s early education was at Louden Moor School and later at Kilmarnock Academy. He went on to study medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, where he developed a keen interest in bacteriology. During World War I, he served as a captain in the Army Medical Corps, where he witnessed the death toll from infected wounds, which later influenced his groundbreaking research. His discovery of penicillin earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945, shared with Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain, who further developed the drug for mass production.

5 Interesting Facts about Alexander Fleming

1. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by accident when he noticed that a mold called Penicillium notatum killed bacteria in a petri dish.

2. He was knighted by King George VI in 1944 for his contributions to medicine.

3. Before his discovery of penicillin, Fleming discovered the enzyme lysozyme, which is found in tears and saliva and has antibacterial properties.

4. Fleming’s initial findings on penicillin were not immediately recognized; it took over a decade for the medical community to fully realize its potential.

5. Fleming’s work laid the foundation for modern antibiotics, revolutionizing the treatment of bacterial infections and making previously deadly diseases treatable.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Alexander Fleming

1. “One sometimes finds what one is not looking for.”

2. “It is the lone worker who makes the first advance in a subject; the details may be worked out by a team, but the prime idea is due to enterprise, thought, and perception of an individual.”

3. “I have been trying to find a solution to the problem of bacterial infection for many years. Serendipity played a large part in my discovery.”

4. “Without penicillin, the death rate from infection would be appallingly high.”

5. “Nature makes penicillin; I just found it.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

While Sir Alexander Fleming did not achieve significant personal wealth from his discoveries, his contributions have been estimated to have generated billions of dollars in medical advancements and treatments.