Monday 5 January 2015

This enthusiastic sailor discovered penicillin by accident & was first non-medic to receive honorary doctorate in Oxford's 800 year history!!!


Norman George Heatley (10 January 1911 – 5 January 2004) was a member of the team of Oxford University scientists who developed penicillin. Norman Heatley developed the back extraction technique for efficiently purifying penicillin in bulk. He was awarded the unusual distinction of an honorary Doctorate of Medicine from Oxford University, the first given to a non-medic in Oxford's 800-year history.

As a boy, he was an enthusiastic sailor of a small boat on the River Deben; an experience which gave him a lifelong love of sailing.  Alexander Fleming had first discovered penicillin by accident in 1928, but at that time believed it had little application. 
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi, including penicillin G (intravenous use), penicillin V (oral use), procaine penicillin, and benzathine penicillin (intramuscular use). Read more & Watch the video...