LEGACY
The discovery of penicillin was a major turning point in history. Penicillin was the first effective drug to fight off infection, earning Alexander Fleming his spot in medical history. Flemings finding of the mold has given him a medicinal legacy, in which has been very widespread. We can see Fleming's legacy by looking at the ways that penicillin has developed into the drug it is now. In the 1940s, penicillin was used to fight infections that could be caused from minor wounds and common illnesses. Penicillin has evolved since then into a drug that can be used to treat respiratory illness, bacterial infection, and skin disorders. We see Fleming's legacy in new drugs containing penicillin such as nafcillin, oxacillin, ticarcillin, and piperacillin. Fleming continues to influence the medicinal field as new drugs and antibiotics are being isolated from mold and fungi and new drugs containing penicillin are being utilized. Alexander Fleming's discovery of the Penicillium mold has contributed to his legacy in which the drug is still saving lives and being used to treat most illnesses. If it hadn’t been for Flemings unearthing of the drug in the first place, we wouldn’t be able to take his discovery further and we wouldn't be able to create new antibiotics with the help of his findings.