The Story of Antibiotics - Dr Peter Altman
Wed 14 Jan
|The Colston Hall, The Memorial Centre
The surprising history of one of the cornerstones of modern medicine, including why Alexander Fleming didnt discover penicillin.
Time & Location
14 Jan 2026, 22:00 – 15 Jan 2026, 00:00
The Colston Hall, The Memorial Centre, East Common, Gerrards Cross SL9 7AD
About the Event
This illustrated talk will begin with the story of how our ancestors came to the realisation that some illnesses could be caught from other people whereas others could not. Various theories were developed in an attempt to explain this, culminating in the eventual discovery of the germ theory.
This will be followed by the discovery of the first antibiotic, and some of the others which followed, as well as explaining their mechanisms of action.
Various interesting facts will emerge, such as the ancient Egyptians using moulds to treat infections, and the fact that Alexander Fleming did not discover penicillin.