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LicenseThree tubes of pencillin powder
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Three tubes of penicillin powder, two of International Standard and one of British Standard samples, one dated 1946
Two of these tubes of penicillin are labelled with the words “International Standard”. International Standards are set for all manufacturers so that the drug can be used with confidence. It also means that dosage can be regulated by using an International Unit as a yardstick. One International Unit of penicillin was equal to 0.0006 mg.
The International Standard for penicillin, the first antibiotic, was set in 1944 at an Anglo-American meeting. One of the samples is an example of a British Standard of penicillin and is dated 1946.
Details
- Category:
- Materia Medica & Pharmacology
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A671733
- Materials:
- glass, paper (fibre product), card, cotton (fibre) and complete
- Measurements:
-
overall: 65 mm 10 mm,
overall (international standard, white label): 17 mm x 62 mm x 17 mm, 0.002 kg
overall (International standard, yellow label): 15 mm x 66 mm x 24 mm,
overall (British standard): 100 mm 10 mm, .006 kg
- type:
- tube
- credit:
- Dale, H.
