Penicillin is one of the most well-known and widely used antibiotic agents. It was accidentally discovered by the Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming on September 15, 1928, while he was studying influenza. Fleming saw that colonies of Staphylococcus aureus did not grow in areas that the mold Penicillium notatum infected. He took samples of the mold and discovered that the mold produced a natural antibacterial substance that killed many of the common bacteria that plagued humans. Howard Florey, an Australian pathologist, and Ernst Boris Chain, a British biochemist, purified penicillin in the 1930s. Almost a decade later, the drug became available for therapeutic use. The penicillin drug was used to treat wounded soldiers during the Second World War.
There are two main classes of penicillin—the natural occurring penicillin that is formed during the process of mold fermentation, and the semisynthetic penicillin that is more acid-stable and resistant to digestive acids. Penicillin works by breaking down the cell wall of microorganisms and preventing the replication of bacterial enzymes responsible for cell wall synthesis.
Penicillin is mainly used in the treatment of infections. However, some people are allergic to it and use other antibiotic alternatives.
There are some banknotes and coins that celebrate the people who helped discover and develop it for therapeutic use.
The 5-pound note from 2009 is a standard banknote issued by the Clydesdale Bank in Scotland. The blue note features Sir Alexander Fleming and a microscope in front and St. Kilda at the back. Sir Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin and was awarded a Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945.
A 5-pound coin from Guernsey also celebrates Sir Alexander Fleming. The silver coin is part of the Great Britons series issued in 2007. It features Queen Elizabeth II in front and Sir Alexander Fleming at the back. Due to his discovery of penicillin, Sir Alexander Fleming became a well-respected bacteriologist that had an enduring legacy.
Meanwhile, the 1-dollar note from Australia was issued in 1998 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Howard Florey, one of the two scientists who purified penicillin and developed it for human consumption. The coin is made of silver and features Queen Elizabeth II and Howard Florey in surgical garb. Howard Florey also received the same Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945 as Sir Alexander Fleming for his contributions to the development of penicillin.
The Isle of Man issued a 1-crown coin to commemorate penicillin as part of the 1995 Inventions of the Modern World series. The copper-nickel coin features Queen Elizabeth II in front and a microscope, Sir Alexander Fleming, and his disovery on the back.
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