The search for antibiotics began with general acceptance of the germ (bacteria) theory of disease. The first antibiotics were developed in the late 1800s, with Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) commonly given credit for discovering that the bacterial disease anthrax could be cured in animals with an injection of soil bacteria. But it was not until Alexander Fleming (1881–1955) discovered penicillin in 1928 that the great potential of antibiotics was recognized. Especially during World War II penicillin revolutionized medical practice, but the subsequent heavy reliance on penicillin and other antibiotic agents as general technological fixes for numerous diseases has led to problems that have distinctly ethical aspects.

Historical Development

Fleming's serendipitous discovery of penicillin came when he examined an old gelatin plate he had forgotten to submerge in detergent solution. Staphylococci, common skin bacteria, were growing on the plate, along with a mold. A product of the mold had seemingly killed some bacteria...