Reference no: EM133822034

Question

"Penicillin, in regard to infections with sensitive microbes, appears to have some advantages over the well-known chemical antiseptics. A good sample will completely inhibit staphylococci, Streptococcus pyogenes and pneumococcus in a dilution of 1 in 800. It is therefore a more powerful inhibitory agent than is carbolic acid and it can be applied to an infected surface undiluted as it is non-irritant and non-toxic. If applied, therefore, on a dressing, it will still be effective even when diluted 800 times, which is more than what can be said of the chemical antiseptics in use. Experiments in connection with its value in the treatment of pyogenic infections are in progress. In addition to its possible use in the treatment of bacterial infections penicillin is certainly useful to the bacteriologist for its power of inhibiting unwanted microbes in bacterial cultures so that penicillin-insensitive bacteria can readily be isolated. A notable instance of this is the very easy, isolation of Pfeiffers bacillus of influenza when penicillin is used." -Alexander Fleming, On the Antibacterial Action of Cultures of a Penicillium, with Special Reference to Their Use in the Isolation of B. Influenza, May 1929 All of the following have contributed to a global population increase EXCEPT an end to global pandemics development of new vaccines and antibiotics improved agricultural practices because of the Green Revolution improvements in public health measures.