Penicillin culture vessel

What is it?

This special vessel was used to grow the fungus that helped create some of the very first doses of penicillin, a drug that became one of the most important medicines ever! In 1940, Howard Florey and his team in Oxford tested penicillin on infected mice. The mice survived, proving that penicillin could fight infections and save lives. During World War II, an Oxford police officer was the first person to be treated with the experimental penicillin, helping show that it worked in humans. Penicillin was especially important during the war, as soldiers often suffered from infected wounds. The medicine helped doctors save many lives that might have otherwise been lost. Thanks to penicillin, doctors could treat infections that were once deadly. Millions of lives have been saved because of this incredible discovery! This culture vessel reminds us of Oxford’s amazing contributions to science and medicine. Who knows what other life-changing ideas might come from Oxford in the future? Why do you think penicillin was such an important discovery? What other amazing discoveries have been made in Oxford?