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Sir Alexander Fleming

(1881-1955), Bacteriologist and discoverer of penicillin

Sitter in 24 portraits
Born in Ayrshire, Fleming served with the Royal Army Medical Corps at Boulogne (1914-18), studying the treatment of war wounds, and observed the dangers of cross-infection. In 1920 Fleming became a lecturer in bacteriology at St Mary's, and discovered lysozyme, the body's natural antibiotic in 1922. He became Professor in Bacteriology at London University in 1928, the year he discovered penicillin, the first antibiotic. Its successful development was delayed until the Second World War. Fleming shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain in 1945. He was Director of the Wright-Fleming Institute of Microbiology (1946-54).

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Alexander Fleming, by Yousuf Karsh - NPG P490(31)

Alexander Fleming

by Yousuf Karsh
bromide print, 1954
NPG P490(31)

Alexander Fleming, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x32631

Alexander Fleming

by Walter Stoneman
half-plate glass negative, July 1943
NPG x32631

Alexander Fleming, by Walter Stoneman - NPG x32632

Alexander Fleming

by Walter Stoneman
half-plate glass negative, July 1943
NPG x32632

Alexander Fleming, by Howard Coster - NPG x136472

Alexander Fleming

by Howard Coster
quarter-plate film negative, 1944
NPG x136472

Sir Alexander Fleming, by Wolfgang Suschitzky - NPG x200738

Sir Alexander Fleming

by Wolfgang Suschitzky
gelatin silver print, 1944
NPG x200738

Sir Alexander Fleming, by Wolfgang Suschitzky - NPG x200739

Sir Alexander Fleming

by Wolfgang Suschitzky
gelatin silver print, 1944
On display in Room 27 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG x200739

Alexander Fleming, by Howard Coster - NPG x12322

Alexander Fleming

by Howard Coster
quarter-plate film negative, 1944
NPG x12322

Alexander Fleming, by Howard Coster - NPG x12323

Alexander Fleming

by Howard Coster
quarter-plate film negative, 1944
NPG x12323

Alexander Fleming, by Howard Coster - NPG x12324

Alexander Fleming

by Howard Coster
quarter-plate film negative, 1944
NPG x12324

Alexander Fleming, by Howard Coster - NPG x131363

Alexander Fleming

by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1954
NPG x131363

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