Biography
The creation of Penicillin, the first antibiotic agent, the world is obliged to English microbiologist Alexander Fleming. And although the most valuable achievement of medicine became the result of creative disorder that reigned in the laboratory, it is impossible to underestimate the merits of the Nobel laureate in the field of medicine.Childhood and youth
Alexander Fleming, who as a child was affectionately called Alec, was born on August 6, 1881 in the Scottish city of Darwel. Father Hug Fleming contained Farm Lochfield. Boy's mother, British Grace Stirling Morton, became the second wife of Hug and gave birth to four children. Alexander became the second.
From the first marriage, Farmer also remained four children. The man was 59 years old when he decided to the second marriage, and Hug experienced that after death there would be no one to look after the younger children. Father died when Alek was 7 years old. Fortunately, Grace turned out to be a strong woman. She managed to unwind the family, divide the duties for the maintenance of the farm and the upbringing of the younger. Despite the cheerfulness of the mother, childhood Alec, his brothers and sisters can not be called a messy.
In 5 years of the future, Darwell gave to rural school. Fleming family lived on a farm, so every morning the children had to walk 7 km through the fields to get to the party. In frosty days, Grace gave each in hot potatoes to warm his hands.
The thorny path only strengthened the thrust Alec for knowledge, and at the age of 12 he entered the Academy of Kilmarnok. Two years later, together with the senior brothers, the boy moved to London and began to listen to lectures at the Royal Polytechnic Institute. The direction helped to choose Brother Thomas, who worked as an ophthalmologist. So Alec began to study medicine.
The knowledge gained at lectures helped the boy in 1901 to enter a medical school at the Holy Mary Hospital. Moreover, he was sadly the most gifted student. In 1906, Fleming became a bachelor of medicine and surgery, in 1908 - Bachelor of bacteriology.
The science
In 1906, Professor of the pathology of Almert Wright, who created a medicine from abdominal typhus, invited Fleming to work in the branching department created at the Hospital of St. Mary. At that moment, the scientist and three students were looking for a way to force antibodies to deal with an infection infection.
The joint achievements of Alexander Fleming and Almert Wright began with a small one. The professor worked on creating tools that would allow the process of collecting analyzes with accurate and painless. Seeing the result of the works, the pupil proposed a technique in which patients with syphilis for analysis could be taken not 5 ml of blood from veins, and 0.5 ml - from the finger.
In those years, Syphilis was considered one of the most dangerous and incurable diseases. Created in 1907 by Chemist Paul Erlich, the drug "Salvarsan" helped even in the launched cases, but only when the medicine was introduced into Vienna. Although this process was difficult in modern conditions, Fleming coped skillfully. He told about the results of treatment with 46 patients in one of the first scientific reports.
During the First World War, Almert Wright was asked to organize a laboratory in France for the study of infectious diseases from which soldiers died. Professor invited Fleming with him.
The study showed that antiseptics that were used at the time to disinfect wounds, only aggravated the situation. In the article for the medical journal The Lancet, the scientist said that antiseptics are effective only on the surface, and not in deep wounds where anaerobic bacteria are hidden, and with the help of drugs, including useful substances that contribute to healing are removed. This point of view supported Wright. Nevertheless, most of the army doctors continued to use antiseptics, even if their impact worsened the health status of the patient.
Demobilized in 1919, Fleming returned to England and continued to explore the bacteria. Experienced, scientists have proven that antiseptics reduce or completely annul the effect of disinfecting, which leukocytes are possessed.
In 1922, the first scientific breakthrough was planned in the biography of the microbiologist: joint research was led to the discovery of lysozyme, antibacterial substance. At that time, Fleming worked out the cold and once chosen into a cup with bacteria. After 5 days, it was found that harmful substances were disappeared at the place of mucus, the turbidity from microbes was crystal clear. Further studies have shown that the tears and saliva of a person also had "cleansing" ability when adding egg protein.
Lizozyme was considered a saving antibacterial substance until the Fleming opened Penicillin in 1928. Quote scientist about that day:
"When I woke up at dawn on September 28, 1928, I, of course, did not plan the revolution in medicine with my opening of the world's first antibiotic, or killer bacteria. But I suppose that this is what I did. "Returning from a short vacation in 1928, Fleming discovered in one of the cups Petri mushroom. The neoplasm destroyed dangerous microbes stored in a cup. For several days, the scientist did not get out due to books and found out that in front of him Penicillium Chrysogenum, "Golden Penicill".
Fleming realized that this was the most powerful antibiotic. If Lizozyme fought harmless bacteria, then Penicilli could treat syphilis, pneumonia, meningitis, gangrene, gonorrhea and other deaths. The discovery details of the scientist published in the journal British Journal of Experimental Pathology. To his surprise, the scientific world did not turn to the article of special attention, and the knowledge of the microbiologist was not enough to independently remove the pure antibiotic substance from the fungus. The idea had to postpone into a long box.
Only in 1940, 12 years after the discovery, Ernst Chein and Howard Flori came to help Fleming. They cleaned the substance so much that it cured mice infected with staphylococcus.
It was dangerous to conduct experiences in people, while Fleming worked at the Holy Mary hospital, he did not receive his comrade. He died of meningitis. The scientific interest and the desire to save a friend pushed the scientist to secretly treat Penicillin patient. After a month of injections, the patient recovered than the high efficiency of the antibiotic obtained was proved.
In 1943, in the midst of the Second World War, the mass production of penicillin was established at pharmacological factories. Thanks to the drug, the wounded soldiers were cured from terrible wounds and returned to the front.
Alexander Fleming understood that the improper use of Penicillin was able to make bacteria resistant to antibiotics. It could happen if the treatment was short and was carried out with small doses. Talking about the opening of the world, the scientist also warned people from taking antibiotics without appointing a doctor.
Penicillin is a great contribution to biology and medicine: to this day, antibiotics are created on the basis of the substance, which save the lives of millions of people. For this discovery, Fleming was awarded a variety of awards, the main of which is the Nobel Prize. "For the opening of Penicillina and his therapeutic effect in the fight against various infectious diseases" of the microbiologist and his colleagues Flori and Chene awarded in 1945.
Personal life
Alexander Fleming was a massone. In the rank, the descent master served in the bed "Holy Maria", then in "Mercy". In 1942 he was awarded the title of the first great deacon of the United Great Lodge of the England. Reached 30 degrees (of 33) according to the ancient and accepted Scottish charter.
Alexander Fleming was married twice.
On December 23, 1915, the spouse of the scientist became the nurse of the Hospital of St. Mary, Ireland Sarah McHarrow. A year later, the son was born the son Robert, who went in the footsteps of his father and became a doctor. The family turned out to be strong - until the death of Sarah in 1949, the spouses lived in the soul.
In 1953, the scientist married again. Amalia Kotxuri-Vurekas, Grechanka by nationality, was for 31 years younger than her husband. She had the formation of a bacteriologist, but she devoted himself to human rights activities. 2 years after the wedding, Amalia became a widow.
Death
On March 11, 1955, in 74, Alexander Fleming died of a heart attack in London. At the request of the deceased body, cremated, and the dust burned in the Cathedral of St. Paul, next to the grave of Admiral Horatio Nelson. On the tombstone, judging by the photo, initials were written: "A.F.".Interesting Facts
- Both scientific discoveries of Alexander Fleming took place due to its uncleanness. It is said that the laboratory of the microbiologist was constantly littered with flasks, test tubes, syringes and lancets, cleaning on the desktop was rare. Naturally, the mold developed in the remains of chemicals. So, left for the week a dirty cup of Petri accidentally formed fungus genus Penicillium, which was later transformed into the strongest antimicrobial preparation of Penicillin.
- After opening Penicillina, scientific recognition fell on Alexander Fleming. In July 1944, the King of Great Britain assigned him the title "Sir", in November 1945, the scientist became three times by Dr. Science. By the way, at the same time, Prime Minister of Britain Winston Churchill and warlord of World War II Bernard Montgomery received a doctoral degree in Luerman.
- They say the paths of Churchill and Fleming converged more than once. In the 1950s, the religious organization "Power of kindness" composed the myth according to which the scientist, being another child, pulled out the future politician of the swamp. As a sign of gratitude, Churchill's father paid for Fleming's education in prestigious medical institutions, including at the Royal Polytechnic Institute. There is also a story that during the war, politics from the death of Penicillin saved. This fact Alexander Fleming denied in a letter to friend Andre Grazia:
Quotes
For the researcher there is no greater joy than to make the discovery, no matter how little it is. It gives him the courage to continue its quest ... A new topic opens the scientist alone, but the more difficult the world becomes, the harder we successfully complete anything without cooperation of others. Put the researcher who is accustomed to the ordinary laboratory to the Marble Palace, and will happen One of two: either he will defeat the marble palace, or the palace will win him. If the top explores the researcher, the palace will turn into a workshop and will become like an ordinary laboratory; But, if the top will win the palace, the researcher died. There is a successful success that causes new desires.Discoveries
- 1922 - Antibacterial enzyme lysozyme
- 1928 - Antibiotic Penicillin