Pencillin: The Revolutionary Medicine Made from Fungus
Penicillin was "discovered" by Alexander Fleming in the 20th century, although this mold had been used by Native Americans for centuries to kill bacteria and to cure illnesses. Penicillin literally revolutionized the medical industry worldwide and was responsible for a massive reduction in the number of war dead. Penicillin is an antibiotic, which means it kills bacteria, and has been used to treat many bacterial problems, such as heart valve disease, venereal diseases and bacterial flu. Unfortunately, Pencillin cannot treat viral infections, but has gone a long way in reducing the severity of many of the infections that can be contracted in a hospital and in other settings.
There are some people, however, who are allergic to penicillin. These people must alert their doctors to this fact before medication is prescribed. There are alternate antibiotics that can be prescribed for those who are allergic to penicillin. Usually, it is not difficult to find a replacement, but penicillin allergies must be spotted and taken care of early, because they can be rather dangerous.
Pencillin is administered in regular doses through injection, while some penicllin can be given in pill form. It is very important to take every dose at its proper time and not to miss a dose. If you do miss a dose, do not take two to "make up" for the missing does, but carry on taking the penicillin. Do not stop taking the penicillin suddenly if you feel you do not need it anymore. Your symptoms might disappear, but you should not stop taking the medicine until it is completely gone, or else the bacteria will return in greater strength than before.
There are no restrictions on diet when taking penicillin, but there may be some drug interaction issues that you will need to inform your doctor about. You should also inform your doctor if you are pregnant and nursing. Penicillin has not been shown to cause problems with a fetus or a nursing baby, but your doctor should be informed, nonetheless.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
