The history of antibiotics.

The History of Antibiotics

Meta Description: Microbes in a complicated environment like soil create antibiotics, which can help regulate the development of competing microorganisms.

Introduction

Antibiotics have been used to cure diseases for millennia, but few people realized they were caused by bacteria until the past century or so. Some of the oldest civilizations employed various molds and planted extracts to cure diseases; for example, the ancient Egyptians put moldy bread on infected wounds. Infections produced by bacteria, such as pneumonia and diarrhea, were the leading cause of mortality in the industrialized world until the 20th century.

Scientists didn't start seeing antibacterial compounds in action until the late 19th century. According to German physician Paul Ehrlich, certain chemical dyes color specific bacterial cells but not others. He concluded that, based on this theory, it should be able to develop compounds that can selectively kill germs while causing no damage to other cells. He found in 1909 that arsphenamine, a chemical, was an excellent syphilis cure.

Although Ehrlich called his discovery "chemotherapy" — the employment of a chemical to cure a disease – it became the first modern antibiotic. Selman Waksman, a Ukrainian-American scientist who discovered over 20 antibiotics during his lifetime, coined the term "antibiotics" almost 30 years later.

Uses of Antibiotics

Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent bacterial infections. They're useless against viral diseases like the common cold and flu.

Antibiotics should be used only in the following situations:

Moderately bad acne, for example, isn't very problematic but is hard to clear up without antibiotics.
These aren't very dangerous but might spread if not treated properly, such as impetigo, a skin infection, or chlamydia, a sexually transmitted illness.
If there is evidence that antibiotics might significantly speed up healing. For example, if you have a kidney infection.
These may lead to more severe problems like cellulitis or pneumonia.

Side effects of antibiotics

Problems in the digestive system are the common side effects of antibiotics. Approximately one out of every ten individuals suffers from this condition. Antibiotics have the following digestive system-related side effects:

Vomiting
Nausea (feeling like you may vomit)
Diarrhea
Bloating and indigestion
Stomach pain
Loss of appetite

These are generally minor adverse effects that will go away after you complete your therapy. If you notice any other adverse effects not mentioned above, you should seek medical assistance from your primary care physician or the doctor in charge of your treatment.

FAQs

Who introduced antibiotics?

While working in his laboratory at St. Mary's Hospital in London in the 1920s, Dr. Alexander Fleming discovered a naturally occurring chemical that could eliminate bacteria.