The Vax-Gene Files: An Accidental Discovery

The Vax-Gene Files: An Accidental Discovery
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Julie Sladden
Julian Gillespie
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In 1928, scientist Alexander Fleming returned to his laboratory after a two-week holiday. A petri dish of bacteria accidentally left on the lab bench somehow became cross-contaminated with Penicillium notatum mold. Fleming noticed the mold inhibited the growth of the bacteria. This accidental discovery marked the dawn of the antibiotic era and a turning point in medical and perhaps human history.

Dr. Julie Sladden is a medical doctor and freelance writer with a passion for transparency in healthcare. Her op-eds have been published in both The Spectator Australia and The Daily Declaration. In 2022, she was elected as a Local Government Councillor for West Tamar in Tasmania.
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