A PRESENTATION PENICILLIN SAMPLE
Lot 65

A PRESENTATION PENICILLIN SAMPLE

PROBABLY FROM THE ORIGINAL CULTURE

Closed8 October 2014

Price Realised

GBP 6,875

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A PRESENTATION PENICILLIN SAMPLE
Probably from the original culture
A sample of Penicillium notatum mould in a sealed Petri dish, the base signed and inscribed by Fleming in red pen: 'To Miss Inger Knop with kind regards ; Penicillium notatum ; Alexander Fleming Dec 12. 1946', 2in. (5cm) diam.; with an autograph letter signed Alexander Fleming to Miss Knop, and a 6pp. autograph letter signed, 4to, written on rectoes only, relating to the family

Specialist note

Sir Alexander Fleming's work on penicillin grew out of his investigation of lysozymes--bacteriolytic agents found in such diverse places as pears, turnip juice and milk. Fleming noted their ability to dissolve contaminated cultures, and in 1929, his culture plate of Penicillium mould led him to write that it 'may be an efficient antiseptic for application to, or injections into, areas infected with penicillin-sensitive microbes'.
'Fleming remains one of the best-known British scientists of the twentieth century. He became important for two reasons: first, his role in the development of modern antibiotics, and second, his place as an iconic British scientist' (ODNB).