{"id":3771,"date":"2018-06-30T09:31:37","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T09:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=3771"},"modified":"2026-05-28T16:21:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T16:21:27","slug":"florey-and-chain-and-the-development-of-penicillin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/medicine-through-time\/fight-against-infectious-disease\/florey-and-chain-and-the-development-of-penicillin\/","title":{"rendered":"Florey and Chain and the development of Penicillin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Florey and Chain won the Nobel Prize, with Alexander Fleming<\/a>, for the development of Penicillin. Their laboratory work resulted in the discovery of Penicillin and recording of it’s properties being transformed into a highly effective treatment. Penicillin was used widely by Allied forces during the Second World War as a result of the work that Florey and Chain did to enable the mass production of the medicine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Florey<\/a><\/p>\n

Florey and Chain and the mass production of Penicillin<\/h2>\n

Florey and Chain were scientists. They stumbled across Fleming’s research papers and were intrigued by his findings. They were sure that, if Fleming was right, this discovery could save a lot of lives, prevent pain and make it much easier to fight infectious diseases and prevent other infections.<\/p>\n

Florey and Chain developed a system of growing penicillin: which was complicated initially, and tested its effectiveness on mice. The tests were successful and the two men became convinced that the drug would cure many people who would otherwise die.<\/p>\n

War and increased demand for Penicillin<\/h3>\n

Florey and Chain were unable to expand on the development of the drug, as mass production was not financially feasible at the time. The penicillin drug became widely available following the United States introduction into the Second World War during 1941. Once involved in the conflict, the Americans were easily persuaded to develop and produce the drug for the benefit of Allied Servicemen. The experimentation and development of the research previously conducted by Fleming produced astounding results. Florey and Chain had discovered a drug that combated the spread of infection, would allow sick and wounded men a chance of recovering and gave the medical profession a drug that kept the inside of the body as clean as the tools that were now being treated with antiseptics.<\/p>\n

Florey and Chain, along with Alexander Fleming each received the Nobel Prize for the development of the penicillin drug in 1945.<\/p>\n

Schoolshistory home<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0History teachers resources<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Medical History Timelines<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Liberal Reforms<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Welfare State<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The NHS<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Alexander Fleming<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Florey and Chain develop Penicillin<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0DNA and it\u2019s impact on modern medicine<\/a><\/p>\n

Medicine Through time<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Resources for Medicine Through Time<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Prehistoric Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Ancient Egyptian Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Ancient Greek Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Medicine in the Roman Empire<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Medieval Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Renaissance Medicine<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Public Health in the Industrial Revolution<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Fight against infectious disease<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Modern Medicine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Florey and Chain won the Nobel Prize, with Alexander Fleming, for the development of Penicillin. Their laboratory work resulted in the discovery of Penicillin and recording of it’s properties being transformed into a highly effective treatment. Penicillin was used widely by Allied forces during the Second World War as a result of the work that… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3952,"parent":3759,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3771","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t