Biography Category
Name :
Alexander Fleming
Date :
Views :
706
Category :
Birth Date :
06/08/1881
Birth Place :
Ayrshire Scotland.
Death Date :
11-Mar-55
Not Available
[b]Birth[/b][br /]
[br /]
Born on August 6, 1881 in Ayrshire, a remote village of Scotland, Alexander Fleming was the seventh child among the eight children born in the Fleming family. Hugh Fleming was a farmer, who married twice. He had four children by his first wife. He married again at the age of 60 to Grace Morton, who bore him four children. Grace managed to bring about unison among all the children. Alexander, fondly called Alec, was the third child of this union. By the time of Alec's birth, his father was quite an aged man, and had suffered from stroke. He was worried about the safety of his family's future. He died when Alexander was quite young.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Childhood[/b][br /]
[br /]
Alec had a normal Scottish childhood, with a country house and a large farm around. He and his brothers would enjoy outdoor activities whenever they were not at school. They used to play shooting games without guns and used to go hunting without them, but accompanied by an old dog. It was a pact agreed upon by the brothers that whoever laid his hand first on the hind legs of the animal was the rightful master of the animal. They also invented their own indigenous methods for hunting.
[br /]
[br /]
It was not all play for the young Fleming boys. They made a little money by selling peewit's eggs to the traveling salesmen. The farm life had its own charm over the little boy and he enjoyed every aspect of it, including sheep-shearing. When he grew older, he even took part in sheep-shearing competitions.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Education[/b][br /]
[br /]
Alec underwent his primary education at Scotland. The school was run by a single teacher, who taught the children of all the ages. The Fleming children had to travel a mile's distance to reach there. On sunny days they used to run barefooted towards the school, but on frozen days, their mother used to give them piping hot potatoes to keep their hands warm during the journey. The teacher was a sensible woman, who many times took the children to the river bank and used to play with them. Thus, Alec had education of subjects as well as of nature.[br /]
[br /]
Next, he moved to Darvel school for further education. This school was about four miles away from their farmhouse. He used to commute on foot everyday. An incident happened during one of his daily journeys which changed his looks for the rest of his life, giving him a 'boxer's nose'. It so happened that while he was running down a corner he collided with another boy. His cartilage was broken. He returned home with a bleeding nose. But soon the blood stopped and it was not considered to call on a doctor. This accident gave him permanent image of a man 'with a boxer's nose'.[br /]
[br /]
His further education took him farther away from his home, of course on foot. His mother and elder brothers decided to send him to Kilmarnock for higher education. This meant six miles travel on foot on Friday evenings and Monday mornings from his home to Newmiln, the nearest railway station from where he could catch a train to Kilmarnock. He continued this routine for about two years.[br /]
[br /]
His elder brother Thomas had settled in London and one by one the younger brothers were called there either for further education or for some professional career. He moved to London at the age of 14, where he entered the Polytechnic school on Regent Street. He was admitted into the class of his own agegroup. But soon he outshined them all and proved his claim to be admitted into higher class. He got promotion of two classes where he had to study with older boys.[br /]
[br /]
After completing school he worked in a shipping firm for four years. But he didn’t quite like this job. In the year 1901, Alexander quit the job and went to The St Mary’s Medical School for further studies in Medicine. Fleming was a remarkably brilliant student. He graduated with an M B from the University of London, in 1908 and with the University Gold Medal. After having qualified with distinction in 1908, he went on to work till 1914, as a lecturer at St Mary’s Hospital.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Turning Point
[/b][br /]
[br /]
Although Fleming’s initial dream was to become a surgeon and he also took his F R C S, but a major turning point came in his career, when he came in contact with Professor of Pathology, Sir Almroth Wright. His was a strong personality, a major figure in the field of Immunology at that time, when the contending theories of cellular immunity and humoral immunity were to be solved. Fleming was excited by the idea of productive research and he was greatly influenced by the energy, fertile mind and technical genius of Wright.[br /]
[br /]
Thus with an intent to start a working relation with Mr Wright, Alec worked as an assistant in the inoculation Department of St Mary’s Hospital soon after graduation. Mr Wright, who was both a teacher and friend to Fleming, highly appreciated his technical skills and intuition. Fleming was appointed professor of Bacteriology in the year 1928. He contributed immeasurably to the study of Microbiology, Immunology and other infectious diseases. He worked tirelessly day and night in the laboratory, bent over a microscope, experimenting and learning. He never got tired even after successive nights at the laboratory. He would turn up smiling and fresh looking the next morning at his duty hour.[br /]
[br /]
He had very cordial relations with his colleagues and sometimes he took liberty of teasing one of them in a light hearted manner. He never offended anybody, always tried to be helpful to others.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Marriage[/b][br /]
[br /]
In the year 1915 Fleming surprised his colleagues with the news of his marriage to Sarah Marion McElroy of Killala Ireland. She was a trained nurse, running a nursing home of her own. She found this introvert, quiet doctor interesting. She was completely opposite to him. Vivacious and self-confident Sarah, better known as Sareen, made her way to Fleming's heart almost immediately. Soon after, her twin sister Elizabeth married Fleming's brother John.[br /]
[br /]
Sareen proved to be an ideal life-partner for Fleming. She eased up his monitory worries by selling her nursing home. She never came in his way of working and always gave him moral support. With Sareen he could share his love for gardening and slowly but surely they cleared the ground around their home to cultivate a beautiful garden. In 1924, she gave birth to their son Robert. Fleming adored his child and looked after him whenever he could be with him. He left playing his leisurely games of golf to play and spend time with little Robert. He always participated in the children's parties organized by Sareen and played all the games with them. His quiet temperament and love for nature endured him any difficulty in life.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Success And Fame
[/b][br /]
[br /]
The discovery of Penicillin is considered to be a blessing for the entire humanity. And the mind and strength behind it was Dr Alexander Fleming. After lengthy research and countless tests in a tiny laboratory, the miraculous drug was presented befor the world of science. Fleming, alongwith other scientists, felt the pride of contributing something valuable towards releaving the sufferings of fellow human beings. The discovery made him world famous overnight. But this humble man took it all in a stride.[br /]
[br /]
His efforts and work was duly appreciated with the announcement of Nobel Prize for madicine in 1945. He was awarded the prize alongwith Chain and Florey, his parthers in success. In 1944, he was Knighted, but the celebrations had to be a private affair due to ongoing war.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Loss Of Sareen
[/b][br /]
[br /]
Sareen started remaining ill since 1848. He took utmost care of her, nursing her devotedly. Alexander Fleming was modest, shy and taciturn. When Sarah Marion was seriously ill, one of her friends told her, "You musn’t die. What would Alexander do without you?" "Oh!", She replied, "I’m sure he’ll marry again." Then she added with a smile, "But whoever it is, she’ll have to do the proposing." Despite of his efforts he could not save her. She died in 1949.
[br /]
[br /]
"My life is broken", he told his friend after separating from his companion for last 34 years. She had stood by him in his struggle and success.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Amalia
[/b][br /]
[br /]
Fleming married again in 1953; his bride was Dr Amalia-Coutsours Voureka, a Greek colleague at St Mary’s. She had been working with him for quite a long time and was a great admirer of this gentleman. She was working in his laboratory as a British Council sponsored research-worker in 1946. She had married an architect and by the time she came to England their separation was almost decided. They enjoyed working together and many a times shared light moments with this young lady with little knowledge of English language. She was a welcome guest at teh Fleming's. Sometimes she acted as an interpreter between some foreign visitor and Fleming. Once, she asked him for his photograph. He gave it to her with recomondasions of Sareen.
[br /]
[br /]
Amalia put the photograph in a photoframe and placed it on his bedside against teasings of her friends.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Death[/b][br /]
[br /]
Life seemed happier and chearful in presence of Amalia. The old routine of work and relaxation had taken over. They shared a very happy but short married life. They worked together and enjoyed their solitude together. It was Amalia who was with him in his last moments. It was a perfectly normal day of March 11. Fleming was feeling a bit uneasy but he found nothing serious about it. Suddenly the pain started in his chest and before Amalia could make out the seriousness of the matter, he died of massive coronary thrombosis. Alesander Fleming lived a quiet and contented life, he died an equally peaceful death.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Born on August 6, 1881 in Ayrshire, a remote village of Scotland, Alexander Fleming was the seventh child among the eight children born in the Fleming family. Hugh Fleming was a farmer, who married twice. He had four children by his first wife. He married again at the age of 60 to Grace Morton, who bore him four children. Grace managed to bring about unison among all the children. Alexander, fondly called Alec, was the third child of this union. By the time of Alec's birth, his father was quite an aged man, and had suffered from stroke. He was worried about the safety of his family's future. He died when Alexander was quite young.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Childhood[/b][br /]
[br /]
Alec had a normal Scottish childhood, with a country house and a large farm around. He and his brothers would enjoy outdoor activities whenever they were not at school. They used to play shooting games without guns and used to go hunting without them, but accompanied by an old dog. It was a pact agreed upon by the brothers that whoever laid his hand first on the hind legs of the animal was the rightful master of the animal. They also invented their own indigenous methods for hunting.
[br /]
[br /]
It was not all play for the young Fleming boys. They made a little money by selling peewit's eggs to the traveling salesmen. The farm life had its own charm over the little boy and he enjoyed every aspect of it, including sheep-shearing. When he grew older, he even took part in sheep-shearing competitions.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Education[/b][br /]
[br /]
Alec underwent his primary education at Scotland. The school was run by a single teacher, who taught the children of all the ages. The Fleming children had to travel a mile's distance to reach there. On sunny days they used to run barefooted towards the school, but on frozen days, their mother used to give them piping hot potatoes to keep their hands warm during the journey. The teacher was a sensible woman, who many times took the children to the river bank and used to play with them. Thus, Alec had education of subjects as well as of nature.[br /]
[br /]
Next, he moved to Darvel school for further education. This school was about four miles away from their farmhouse. He used to commute on foot everyday. An incident happened during one of his daily journeys which changed his looks for the rest of his life, giving him a 'boxer's nose'. It so happened that while he was running down a corner he collided with another boy. His cartilage was broken. He returned home with a bleeding nose. But soon the blood stopped and it was not considered to call on a doctor. This accident gave him permanent image of a man 'with a boxer's nose'.[br /]
[br /]
His further education took him farther away from his home, of course on foot. His mother and elder brothers decided to send him to Kilmarnock for higher education. This meant six miles travel on foot on Friday evenings and Monday mornings from his home to Newmiln, the nearest railway station from where he could catch a train to Kilmarnock. He continued this routine for about two years.[br /]
[br /]
His elder brother Thomas had settled in London and one by one the younger brothers were called there either for further education or for some professional career. He moved to London at the age of 14, where he entered the Polytechnic school on Regent Street. He was admitted into the class of his own agegroup. But soon he outshined them all and proved his claim to be admitted into higher class. He got promotion of two classes where he had to study with older boys.[br /]
[br /]
After completing school he worked in a shipping firm for four years. But he didn’t quite like this job. In the year 1901, Alexander quit the job and went to The St Mary’s Medical School for further studies in Medicine. Fleming was a remarkably brilliant student. He graduated with an M B from the University of London, in 1908 and with the University Gold Medal. After having qualified with distinction in 1908, he went on to work till 1914, as a lecturer at St Mary’s Hospital.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Turning Point
[/b][br /]
[br /]
Although Fleming’s initial dream was to become a surgeon and he also took his F R C S, but a major turning point came in his career, when he came in contact with Professor of Pathology, Sir Almroth Wright. His was a strong personality, a major figure in the field of Immunology at that time, when the contending theories of cellular immunity and humoral immunity were to be solved. Fleming was excited by the idea of productive research and he was greatly influenced by the energy, fertile mind and technical genius of Wright.[br /]
[br /]
Thus with an intent to start a working relation with Mr Wright, Alec worked as an assistant in the inoculation Department of St Mary’s Hospital soon after graduation. Mr Wright, who was both a teacher and friend to Fleming, highly appreciated his technical skills and intuition. Fleming was appointed professor of Bacteriology in the year 1928. He contributed immeasurably to the study of Microbiology, Immunology and other infectious diseases. He worked tirelessly day and night in the laboratory, bent over a microscope, experimenting and learning. He never got tired even after successive nights at the laboratory. He would turn up smiling and fresh looking the next morning at his duty hour.[br /]
[br /]
He had very cordial relations with his colleagues and sometimes he took liberty of teasing one of them in a light hearted manner. He never offended anybody, always tried to be helpful to others.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Marriage[/b][br /]
[br /]
In the year 1915 Fleming surprised his colleagues with the news of his marriage to Sarah Marion McElroy of Killala Ireland. She was a trained nurse, running a nursing home of her own. She found this introvert, quiet doctor interesting. She was completely opposite to him. Vivacious and self-confident Sarah, better known as Sareen, made her way to Fleming's heart almost immediately. Soon after, her twin sister Elizabeth married Fleming's brother John.[br /]
[br /]
Sareen proved to be an ideal life-partner for Fleming. She eased up his monitory worries by selling her nursing home. She never came in his way of working and always gave him moral support. With Sareen he could share his love for gardening and slowly but surely they cleared the ground around their home to cultivate a beautiful garden. In 1924, she gave birth to their son Robert. Fleming adored his child and looked after him whenever he could be with him. He left playing his leisurely games of golf to play and spend time with little Robert. He always participated in the children's parties organized by Sareen and played all the games with them. His quiet temperament and love for nature endured him any difficulty in life.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Success And Fame
[/b][br /]
[br /]
The discovery of Penicillin is considered to be a blessing for the entire humanity. And the mind and strength behind it was Dr Alexander Fleming. After lengthy research and countless tests in a tiny laboratory, the miraculous drug was presented befor the world of science. Fleming, alongwith other scientists, felt the pride of contributing something valuable towards releaving the sufferings of fellow human beings. The discovery made him world famous overnight. But this humble man took it all in a stride.[br /]
[br /]
His efforts and work was duly appreciated with the announcement of Nobel Prize for madicine in 1945. He was awarded the prize alongwith Chain and Florey, his parthers in success. In 1944, he was Knighted, but the celebrations had to be a private affair due to ongoing war.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Loss Of Sareen
[/b][br /]
[br /]
Sareen started remaining ill since 1848. He took utmost care of her, nursing her devotedly. Alexander Fleming was modest, shy and taciturn. When Sarah Marion was seriously ill, one of her friends told her, "You musn’t die. What would Alexander do without you?" "Oh!", She replied, "I’m sure he’ll marry again." Then she added with a smile, "But whoever it is, she’ll have to do the proposing." Despite of his efforts he could not save her. She died in 1949.
[br /]
[br /]
"My life is broken", he told his friend after separating from his companion for last 34 years. She had stood by him in his struggle and success.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Amalia
[/b][br /]
[br /]
Fleming married again in 1953; his bride was Dr Amalia-Coutsours Voureka, a Greek colleague at St Mary’s. She had been working with him for quite a long time and was a great admirer of this gentleman. She was working in his laboratory as a British Council sponsored research-worker in 1946. She had married an architect and by the time she came to England their separation was almost decided. They enjoyed working together and many a times shared light moments with this young lady with little knowledge of English language. She was a welcome guest at teh Fleming's. Sometimes she acted as an interpreter between some foreign visitor and Fleming. Once, she asked him for his photograph. He gave it to her with recomondasions of Sareen.
[br /]
[br /]
Amalia put the photograph in a photoframe and placed it on his bedside against teasings of her friends.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Death[/b][br /]
[br /]
Life seemed happier and chearful in presence of Amalia. The old routine of work and relaxation had taken over. They shared a very happy but short married life. They worked together and enjoyed their solitude together. It was Amalia who was with him in his last moments. It was a perfectly normal day of March 11. Fleming was feeling a bit uneasy but he found nothing serious about it. Suddenly the pain started in his chest and before Amalia could make out the seriousness of the matter, he died of massive coronary thrombosis. Alesander Fleming lived a quiet and contented life, he died an equally peaceful death.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
The discovery of Penicillin is one of the greatest of medical discoveries of the 20th century and certainly one of the greatest discoveries of all time. It is a healer and a saver of lives beyond compare. There have been few men like Fleming in scientific research and perhaps his experience teaches all of us that nothing is too small to be overlooked, no pathway is too obscure not to be followed, no accidental occurrence should ever be dismissed without investigation.[br /]
[br /]
His contribution to the welfare of the human race is one of the finest ever made.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
His contribution to the welfare of the human race is one of the finest ever made.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]Aug 6, 1881[/b] Birth of Alexander Fleming in Ayrshire Scotland.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1908[/b] Completed Graduation with an MBBs from the University of London.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1914[/b] Became a lecturer at St Mary’s. Hospital, London.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1915[/b] Married to Sarah Harion McElroy of Killol, Greenland.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1921[/b] Discovered Lysozyme a bacteriolytic substance.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1924[/b] Birth of son Robert.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1928[/b] Discoursed Penicillin.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1929[/b] Published first report on Penicillin’s antibacterial properties.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1944[/b] Knighted by King George VI.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Conferred Nobel Prize for Medicine.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1949[/b] Death of Sarah Fleming.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1953[/b] Married Dr Amalia-Coutsours Voureka.[br /]
[br /]
[b]March 11, 1955[/b] Died in London.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]1908[/b] Completed Graduation with an MBBs from the University of London.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1914[/b] Became a lecturer at St Mary’s. Hospital, London.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1915[/b] Married to Sarah Harion McElroy of Killol, Greenland.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1921[/b] Discovered Lysozyme a bacteriolytic substance.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1924[/b] Birth of son Robert.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1928[/b] Discoursed Penicillin.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1929[/b] Published first report on Penicillin’s antibacterial properties.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1944[/b] Knighted by King George VI.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Conferred Nobel Prize for Medicine.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1949[/b] Death of Sarah Fleming.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1953[/b] Married Dr Amalia-Coutsours Voureka.[br /]
[br /]
[b]March 11, 1955[/b] Died in London.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
After completing his MB from the University of London in 1908 with a Gold Medal, Fleming was excited by the prospect of productive research and working with Professor Wright, a great technical and creative genius. Fleming received a professorship at the University and began to work on vaccine therapy under Sir Almroth Wright. First World War interrupted this research and Fleming became a captain in the Royal Medical Corps. He was called upon to treat soldiers with infected wounds. Fleming discovered that some of the antiseptics, which were in use that time, were ineffective since they adversely affected that body and could not destroy the bacteria.[br /]
[br /]
Fleming continued his work in the laboratory. He said, "I venture to suggest that the antiseptic at present in use will only exercise a beneficial effect in a septic wound if it possesses the property of stimulating or conserving the natural defensive mechanism of the body."
[br /]
[br /]
Antiseptics, he maintained, find their true application in preventing the infection of war wounds. In their prophylactic treatment, they should be lavishly used outside the wound, and there should be early and thorough surgical treatment of the wound.
[br /]
[br /]
According to Fleming, the most important antibacterial agents in the body are the cells themselves. During his whole career Fleming was interested in the destruction of bacteria by various agents including Leukocytes. During the First World War, he investigated problems in the treatment of septic wounds. In the year 1922, he discovered lysozyme, a potent anti-bacterial ferment. As the substance had properties similar to those of ferments, he called it lysozyme. Fleming abhorred a tidy, meticulous lab. He used to leave culture dishes lying around for weeks and would often find interesting things in them. The discovery of penicillin took place in similar fashion.
[br /]
[br /]
He left a culture dish lying on the lab bench and then went away on vacation. When he returned, a few spores of an unusual mould had germinated on the plate. When he cultured the bacteria on the plate, he found that they grew up within a few centimeters of the mould, but they were killed. A crude extract of the mould had antibacterial properties. He called the mould penicillin. Fleming worked with the mould for some time, but refining and growing it was a difficult process better suited to chemists. The work was taken over by a team of chemists, but got interrupted when several of them died or got relocated. It took Second World War to revitalize the interest in penicillin and Howard Florey and Ernst Chain picked up the work. In recognition for his contribution, they were awarded the Nobel [b]Prize in 1945.[/b]
[br /]
[br /][br /]
[br /]
Fleming continued his work in the laboratory. He said, "I venture to suggest that the antiseptic at present in use will only exercise a beneficial effect in a septic wound if it possesses the property of stimulating or conserving the natural defensive mechanism of the body."
[br /]
[br /]
Antiseptics, he maintained, find their true application in preventing the infection of war wounds. In their prophylactic treatment, they should be lavishly used outside the wound, and there should be early and thorough surgical treatment of the wound.
[br /]
[br /]
According to Fleming, the most important antibacterial agents in the body are the cells themselves. During his whole career Fleming was interested in the destruction of bacteria by various agents including Leukocytes. During the First World War, he investigated problems in the treatment of septic wounds. In the year 1922, he discovered lysozyme, a potent anti-bacterial ferment. As the substance had properties similar to those of ferments, he called it lysozyme. Fleming abhorred a tidy, meticulous lab. He used to leave culture dishes lying around for weeks and would often find interesting things in them. The discovery of penicillin took place in similar fashion.
[br /]
[br /]
He left a culture dish lying on the lab bench and then went away on vacation. When he returned, a few spores of an unusual mould had germinated on the plate. When he cultured the bacteria on the plate, he found that they grew up within a few centimeters of the mould, but they were killed. A crude extract of the mould had antibacterial properties. He called the mould penicillin. Fleming worked with the mould for some time, but refining and growing it was a difficult process better suited to chemists. The work was taken over by a team of chemists, but got interrupted when several of them died or got relocated. It took Second World War to revitalize the interest in penicillin and Howard Florey and Ernst Chain picked up the work. In recognition for his contribution, they were awarded the Nobel [b]Prize in 1945.[/b]
[br /]
[br /][br /]
[b]On the life saving potentialities of penicillin:[/b][br /]
[br /]
• People have called it (penicillin) a miracle. For once in my life as a scientist, I agree. It is a miracle, and it will save lives by thousands.
[br /]
[br /]
• Penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.
[br /]
[br /]
• It is the lone worker who makes the first advance in a subject; the details may be worked out by a team, but the prime idea is due to the enterprise, thought and perception of an individual.
[br /]
[br /]
• Be prepared to accept such good fortune as the God offers.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]When asked about the cure of colds:
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime – it’s not very scientific, but it helps.
[br /]
[br /]
• I have been trying to point our lives chance may have an astonishing influence and if I may offer advice to the young laboratory worker, it would be this never to neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening. It may be usually is, in fact a false alarm that leads to nothing, but it may on the other hand be the clue provided by fate to lead you to some important advance.
[br /]
[br /]
• You got to be honest not only towards others but towards yourselves because it is only then that you can do your best.
[br /]
[br /]
• The few who have been truly great in science, owed their greatness to four outstanding qualities: curiosity, insight, ingenuity and persistence.
[br /]
[br /]
• I am a simple bacteriologist.
[br /]
[br /]
• A team is fine when you have something to go on, but when you have nothing to go on – well, I should think a team is the worst possible way of starting and it is impossible to start out to find something brand new with a team.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]When asked how to be successful
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Work, work and work again.
[br /]
[br /]
• Most scientists are artists in a sense unless they have a vision they can do comparatively little with their formulae.
[br /]
[br /]
• You have to work and work to become skilful masters of your craft and think about your work and understand what you are doing.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]What they say about Fleming
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• "Pain in the mind was not the spur that drove him to do research… But rather an urge to do a job better than the next man. Competition was the breath of life to him."-- Leonard Colebrook.
[br /]
[br /]
• "The catalogue of Fleming’s published work leaves little room for doubt that he had to an unusual degree the almost intuitive faculties for original observation coupled with a high degree of technical inventiveness and skill." -- R. Cruickshank.
[br /]
[br /]
• "Even without the discovery and recognition of the worth of penicillin, Fleming would have left his mark on bacteriology for his studies of wound infection, antiseptics and particularly his studies on lysozyme. Penicillin brought greater honors and recognition because it profoundly affected and changed medical and surgical practice in respect of infection and ushered in the antibiotic era." -- Robert G. E. Murray.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
• People have called it (penicillin) a miracle. For once in my life as a scientist, I agree. It is a miracle, and it will save lives by thousands.
[br /]
[br /]
• Penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.
[br /]
[br /]
• It is the lone worker who makes the first advance in a subject; the details may be worked out by a team, but the prime idea is due to the enterprise, thought and perception of an individual.
[br /]
[br /]
• Be prepared to accept such good fortune as the God offers.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]When asked about the cure of colds:
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime – it’s not very scientific, but it helps.
[br /]
[br /]
• I have been trying to point our lives chance may have an astonishing influence and if I may offer advice to the young laboratory worker, it would be this never to neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening. It may be usually is, in fact a false alarm that leads to nothing, but it may on the other hand be the clue provided by fate to lead you to some important advance.
[br /]
[br /]
• You got to be honest not only towards others but towards yourselves because it is only then that you can do your best.
[br /]
[br /]
• The few who have been truly great in science, owed their greatness to four outstanding qualities: curiosity, insight, ingenuity and persistence.
[br /]
[br /]
• I am a simple bacteriologist.
[br /]
[br /]
• A team is fine when you have something to go on, but when you have nothing to go on – well, I should think a team is the worst possible way of starting and it is impossible to start out to find something brand new with a team.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]When asked how to be successful
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Work, work and work again.
[br /]
[br /]
• Most scientists are artists in a sense unless they have a vision they can do comparatively little with their formulae.
[br /]
[br /]
• You have to work and work to become skilful masters of your craft and think about your work and understand what you are doing.
[br /]
[br /]
[b]What they say about Fleming
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• "Pain in the mind was not the spur that drove him to do research… But rather an urge to do a job better than the next man. Competition was the breath of life to him."-- Leonard Colebrook.
[br /]
[br /]
• "The catalogue of Fleming’s published work leaves little room for doubt that he had to an unusual degree the almost intuitive faculties for original observation coupled with a high degree of technical inventiveness and skill." -- R. Cruickshank.
[br /]
[br /]
• "Even without the discovery and recognition of the worth of penicillin, Fleming would have left his mark on bacteriology for his studies of wound infection, antiseptics and particularly his studies on lysozyme. Penicillin brought greater honors and recognition because it profoundly affected and changed medical and surgical practice in respect of infection and ushered in the antibiotic era." -- Robert G. E. Murray.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Alexander Fleming commenced his career as a Bacteriologist at Wright’s inoculation department. He gained MBBS, (London) with a Gold Medal in 1908.[br /]
[br /]
Fleming, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (England), 1909 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London), 1944 gained many awards. They include –
[br /]
[br /]
[b]1946[/b] Honorary Gold Medal-Royal College of Surgeons[br /]
[b]1919[/b] Huntarian Professor[br /]
[b]1929[/b] Arris and Gale Lecturer[br /]
[b]1942[/b] Williams Julius Mickle Fellowship-University of London[br /]
[b]1944[/b] Charles Mickle Fellowship-University of Toronto[br /]
[b]1944[/b] Knighted and became Sir Alexander Fleming.[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine alongwith Howard Florey and Ernst Chain.[br /]
[b]1947[/b] Gold Medal-Royal Society of Medicine[br /]
[b]1947[/b] Medal for Merit-USA.[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Cameron Prize-University of Edinburgh[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Moxon Medal-Royal College of Physicians[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Cutter Lecturer-Harvard University[br /][br /]
[b]He also held many important positions:
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• President of the Society for General Microbiology[br /]
[br /]
• Member of the Pontifical Academy of Science
[br /]
[br /]
• Honorary member of almost all the prominent medical and scientific societies of the world.
[br /]
[br /]
• Rector of Edinburgh University during 1951-1954.
[br /]
[br /]
• Was also awarded Doctorate Degrees by almost thirty European and American Universities.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Fleming, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (England), 1909 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London), 1944 gained many awards. They include –
[br /]
[br /]
[b]1946[/b] Honorary Gold Medal-Royal College of Surgeons[br /]
[b]1919[/b] Huntarian Professor[br /]
[b]1929[/b] Arris and Gale Lecturer[br /]
[b]1942[/b] Williams Julius Mickle Fellowship-University of London[br /]
[b]1944[/b] Charles Mickle Fellowship-University of Toronto[br /]
[b]1944[/b] Knighted and became Sir Alexander Fleming.[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine alongwith Howard Florey and Ernst Chain.[br /]
[b]1947[/b] Gold Medal-Royal Society of Medicine[br /]
[b]1947[/b] Medal for Merit-USA.[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Cameron Prize-University of Edinburgh[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Moxon Medal-Royal College of Physicians[br /]
[b]1945[/b] Cutter Lecturer-Harvard University[br /][br /]
[b]He also held many important positions:
[/b][br /]
[br /]
• President of the Society for General Microbiology[br /]
[br /]
• Member of the Pontifical Academy of Science
[br /]
[br /]
• Honorary member of almost all the prominent medical and scientific societies of the world.
[br /]
[br /]
• Rector of Edinburgh University during 1951-1954.
[br /]
[br /]
• Was also awarded Doctorate Degrees by almost thirty European and American Universities.
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
