What were the effects of the discovery of penicillin?

The discovery of penicillin by the Scottish biologist, Alexander Fleming, in 1928 was a significant moment in medical history. Once introduced into society, penicillin was hailed as a "miracle drug" because of its ability to cure previously-incurable infections which had plagued society. Many of these, like meningitis and strep throat, were life-threatening and the discovery of penicillin had a dramatic impact on mortality rates. The discovery of penicillin also paved the way for further antibiotic research. This led to the discovery of more types of antibiotics, like amoxicillin, in 1972.

However, some bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics and this poses a considerable threat to public health because it has enabled infections, like MRSA, to flourish. MRSA is of particular concern as it kills more Americans each year than HIV/Aids and Parkinson's Disease. (See the second reference link for more information).