4.1.1
WW1, Pharmaceuticals & Penicillin
The Impact of the First World War
The Impact of the First World War
The First World War (1914-1918) led to many advances in medicine. Notable advances were made in X-rays, blood loss & transfusions, and plastic surgery. Just like Penicillin later in World War 2, war can fuel (support) a lot of medical developments.
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
- The development of plastic surgery was motivated by the First World War.
- A doctor called Harold Gillies set up a unit to transplant skin for soldiers with facial wounds.
- In 1917, Queen’s Hospital in Sidcup, Kent was established to treat soldiers with facial wounds.
- By the Second World War, Archibald McIndoe was using drugs such as penicillin to treat soldiers with facial wounds.
Blood transfusions up to 1900
Blood transfusions up to 1900
- Blood transfusions often failed because scientists didn’t know that different people had different blood types. Infections could be passed on through transfusions.
- In 1900, Karl Landsteiner discovered different blood types. He categorised these into type A, type B, type AB and type O.
- Blood transfusions had to be matched to a patient's’ blood type to work.
Blood transfusions after 1900
Blood transfusions after 1900
- In 1914, Albert Hustin discovered how to store blood for long periods without clotting (using sodium citrate). This was needed for blood to reach the battlefield in time.
- In 1938, the British National Blood Transfusion Service was opened. Prompted by the Second World War, the British and US developed large blood banks to treat wounded soldiers.
X-rays before WW1
X-rays before WW1
- In 1895, Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays.
- Before the First World War x-rays were used to help doctors identify broken bones and disease.
- By 1901, radiotherapy was used to treat cancer.
X-rays during WW1
X-rays during WW1
- During the First World War, x-rays were used on the battlefield.
- Marie Curie developed mobile x-ray machines which were transportable.
- This allowed surgeons to identify where shrapnel or bullets were in a wounded soldier on the front line.
The Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry
The Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry
Following these developments in the 19th century, doctors began to learn how to cure specific diseases and also prevent diseases.
Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmaceutical industry
- These advances led to the rise of the pharmaceutical industry.
- In the late 19th and early 20th centuries large chemical companies such as Glaxo (founded in 1906), Beecham and Hoffman-La Roche were created.
Developing drugs
Developing drugs
- Although the research to develop drugs was very costly, the drugs were very profitable for pharmaceutical companies to make and sell.
- Aspirin was first made in 1899 and insulin was first made in 1921.
- Lots of chemicals companies began to make medicines and drugs like these because they had the manufacturing capabilities (abilities).
The modern pharmaceutical industry
The modern pharmaceutical industry
- The pharmaceutical industry has continued to grow for the last century.
- Companies like Roche specialise in cancer drugs and chemotherapy.
- Companies like Bayer continue to sell aspirin and since 1987, pharmaceutical companies have sold drugs like AZT which treat AIDS/HIV.
- These companies also produce drugs like antibiotics.
Controversies in the pharmaceuticals industry
Controversies in the pharmaceuticals industry
- Drugs are tested on animals and humans before they are approved by organisations like the FDA to be used to treat ill people.
- In 1961, a drug called thalidomide (used to treat morning sickness in pregnancy) was revealed to lead to under-developed limbs in babies.
The Discovery of Penicillin
The Discovery of Penicillin
Alexander Fleming worked in an army hospital in World War 1. He saw lots of soldiers die after their wounds became infected with the Staphylococcus bacteria.
Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin
Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin
- In 1922, Fleming found that lysozyme, an enzyme in tears killed some bacteria.
- In 1928, he accidentally left out some Staphylococcus bacteria in his laboratory. Mould grew on one of the plates. The germs beside the mould stopped growing.
- This mould was a fungus called Penicillin. Fleming called it a natural antiseptic (it is actually an antibiotic).
- He published his research in 1929, but this was not recognised immediately.
Chain and Florey
Chain and Florey
- Howard Florey and Ernst Chain read Fleming’s article. They experimented on mice at the University of Oxford and then tested penicillin on humans.
- It worked, but the doctors did not produce much penicillin.
Mass production
Mass production
- The scientists had to find a way to mass produce penicillin.
- In 1939, the British government would not fund the project because they were too focused on the war and chemicals companies were producing explosives.
- In the Second World War, lots of soldiers got infected wounds.
- The USA government funded the team and then Britain in 1943 began to mass produce penicillin.
- Fleming, Florey and Chain won the Nobel Prize in 1945 for their discovery of penicillin.
After the war
After the war
- In 1945, Margaret Hutchinson Rousseau developed the technology to produce penicillin on a large scale. It is estimated that 15% of injured US and British soldiers would have died if they did not have penicillin.
- After the war, chemical companies began to sell penicillin to the general public as an antibiotic. The cost of producing penicillin fell as more was produced.
- Following this, other antibiotics were also developed. This included streptomycin (1944) for tuberculosis and tetracycline (1953) for skin infections.
The role of chance and government
The role of chance and government
- Fleming only discovered penicillin because he accidentally left out some bacteria samples. This was very lucky.
- Penicillin could only really be mass produced because of government funding.
- Again, the importance of funding and communication were important in the development of medicine.
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
Jump to other topics
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
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