Role of random chance / luck

Role of random chance / luck

1. Alexander Fleming and Penicillin

   • Unwashed dishes left by a window in his lab
     • He noticed that the mould killed bacteria
       • He wrote his findings in a research paper - Florey and Chain used this to develop Penicillin

2. James Simpson and Chloroform

   • He was interested in finding anaesthetics
     • Process of trial and error
       • Tried various substances on himself and friends
         • This is how he discovered chloroform

3. Discovery of Chicken Cholera vaccine

   • Pasteur and his team were working on vaccines
     • Chicken cholera solution was left in the lab over the summer
       • Charles Chamberland injected chickens with it
         • They didn't die and also survived when injected with fresh samples of cholera
           • They had developed a vaccine and also discovered that watered down versions of the disease worked ad vaccines

4. Edward Jenner and Smallpox

   • Jenner wanted to inoculate patients
     • He noticed that cow maids didn't catch smallpox
       • He studied this and developed a vaccine
         • But he couldn't explain the science behind it