WRIT1152 Course Blog

The topic I decided to use for the impact of technology paper is penicillin. Alexander Fleming, a British scientist, discovered penicillin when he was working with the bacteria Staphylococcus. He noticed a mold substance was preventing the growth of the bacteria. This mold was a species of Penicillium and was producing a substance that could kill bacteria. He named his discovery, penicillin (Nester 496). Penicillin has changed the health field tremendously, improving its mechanisms for defeating infections. During World War II penicillin helped save many lives. The improvements it has provided are impossible to ignore. However, penicillin has changed our culture and the mind set of society. It has created a cushion or a simple solution for an illness. Society has decreased their concern about taking care of their bodies. Eating healthy and exercising has become less of a worry because many other mechanisms are available for treating illnesses. The increasing frequencies of prescriptions are becoming a problem because bacteria are now changing and becoming resistant to penicillin. This is a huge problem and an issue that society needs to become more aware of. Eating healthy and exercising will not prevent every disease, but it will help with a person’s overall health. This may eliminate a few trips to the doctor’s office.

Nester, Eugene W., Denise G. Anderson, Evans C. Roberts, and Martha T. Nester. Microbilology: A Human Perspective. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.