Tuesday April 22 / 2008

Tuesday April 22 / 2008

12:09….The Health News Roundup…..with……..



12:15…Pitch ahead…throw to break early.



12:20….Pat Morden, Chief Executive Cheerleader, Shalom Village re: What’s possible for the elderly?


12:35…Should parents have an ongoing and open dialogue about sex with their children? One expert thinks so.
GUEST: Stephanie Mitelman, Certified sexuality educator, and Canadian certified family eductator. Her website is www.sexpressions.ca
(514)-481-9600


12:45….Hilton Silberg, Pharmacist….Rexall.

History of Penicillin

Penicillin is one of the earliest discovered and widely used antibiotic agents derived from the Penicillium mold. Antibiotics are natural substances that are released by bacteria and fungi onto the environment as a means of inhibiting other organisms; it is chemical warfare on a microscopic scale. In 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming observed that colonies of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus could be destroyed by the mold penicillium notatum, proving that there was an antibacterial agent there in principle. This principle later lead to medicines that could kill certain types of disease-causing bacteria inside the body.
At this time however the importance was not known, nor did the use of penicillin begin until 1940. It was not until Howard Florey and Ernst Chain isolated the active ingredient and developed a powdery form of the medicine. Prior to the 20th century, the hospital rate was greatly increased by the infection of open wounds. Bacteria entering the wound at the point of incision would poison the blood stream, usually leading to fatality. The problem, when it was pin-pointed was partially remedied by more hygienic surgical practices and antiseptic that could be taken internally and then destroy bacteria that had invaded the body. The discovery of penicillin has often been described as a miracle drug, and that is exactly what it was. Prior to the discovery of penicillin, death could occur in what would seem today to be trivial injuries and diseases. It could occur from minor wounds that had become infected with such conditions as strep throat. The widespread use of penicillin had begun and had speeded up by the advent of World War 11. The governments of the US and Britain resolved to produce all penicillin they could and hence the manufacture of medicines became big business. In 1943 Florey went to Russia to help make penicillin and by 1944 there was enough penicillin for all allied troops wounded in the D-Day invasion of Europe. In 1945 Chain, Fleming and Florey shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology for their discovery of penicillin and its curative affect in various diseases.

Rexall #0202
Nadine Janacek Blog Reporter