Penicillium Mould presented by Alexander Fleming

Penicillium Mould presented by Alexander Fleming Penicillium Mould presented by Alexander Fleming Penicillium Mould presented by Alexander Fleming Penicillium Mould presented by Alexander Fleming

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

A sample of Penicillium mould presented by Alexander Fleming to Douglas Macleod, 1935.

The British biologist and pharmacologist Alexander Fleming gave this sample of the mould Penicillium notatum to a colleague at St Mary's Hospital, London, in 1935.

Seven years earlier, Fleming had discovered by chance that this species of mould produces a substance he called 'Penicillin' that was found to have powerful antibiotic properties. This sample marks penicillin's transition from an interesting phenomenon to a potential drug.

Details

Category:
Biotechnology
Object Number:
1997-731
Materials:
penicillium mould, wood, copper alloy and leatherette
Measurements:
overall: 76 mm x 77 mm x 33 mm, .14kg
type:
penicillium mould
credit:
Christie's South Kensington Limited