Alexander Fleming, born August 6, 1881, in Lochfield, Scotland, and died March 11, 1955, in London, was a Scottish biologist, physician, and microbiologist whose discovery of penicillin in 1928 revolutionized medicine as the world’s first antibiotic. Working at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, he also discovered the enzyme lysozyme in 1923. Knighted in 1944, Fleming shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain for penicillin’s development. Named one of TIME’s 100 Most Important People of the 20th century, his work saved millions of lives. These 15 quotes—sourced from his writings, speeches, interviews, and posts on X—reflect his insights on discovery, science, and responsibility, capturing his humble and curious spirit.
15 Alexander Fleming Quotes
- “One sometimes finds what one is not looking for.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn’t plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world’s first antibiotic, or bacteria killer. But I guess that was exactly what I did.” (Wikiquote, 2015)
- “Nature makes penicillin; I just found it.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “I have been trying to point out that in our lives chance may have an astonishing influence and, if I may offer advice to the young laboratory worker, it would be this—never neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening.” (Lecture at Harvard University, quoted in Molecular Cloning, 2001)
- “It is the lone worker who makes the first advance in a subject; the details may be worked out by a team, but the prime idea is due to the enterprise, thought, and perception of an individual.” (Wikiquote, 2015)
- “Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy.” (AZQuotes, n.d.)
- “The unprepared mind cannot see the outstretched hand of opportunity.” (AZQuotes, n.d.)
- “(The discovery of penicillin) was a triumph of accident, a fortunate occurrence which happened while I was working on a purely academic bacteriological problem.” (Psychetypes: A New Way of Exploring Personality, n.d.)
- “Penicillin sat on a shelf for ten years while I was called a quack.” (Your Key to a Healthy Heart, n.d.)
- “I play with microbes. There are, of course, many rules to this play…but when you have acquired knowledge and experience it is very pleasant to break the rules and to be able to find something nobody has thought of.” (inspiringquotes.us, n.d.)
- “For the birth of something new, there has to be a happening. Newton saw an apple fall; James Watt watched a kettle boil; Roentgen fogged some photographic plates. And these people knew enough to translate ordinary happenings into something new.” (Sister Kenny: The Woman Who Challenged the Doctors, n.d.)
- “The thoughtless person playing with penicillin treatment is morally responsible for the death of the man who succumbs to infection with the penicillin-resistant organism. I hope this evil can be averted.” (Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs, n.d.)
- “Suggested remedy for the common cold: A good gulp of whiskey at bedtime—it’s not very scientific, but it helps.” (AZQuotes, n.d.)
- “If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.” (AZQuotes, n.d.)
- “It was astonishing that for some considerable distance around the mould growth the staphococcal colonies were undergoing lysis. What had formerly been a well-grown colony was now a faint shadow of its former self…I was sufficiently interested to pursue the subject.” (Miracle Drugs and the New Age of Medicine, n.d.)
Alexander Fleming’s quotes are a vibrant mix of humility, curiosity, and scientific wisdom, inspiring us to embrace chance, pursue the unexpected, and take responsibility for our discoveries. Which one’s got you ready to chase a serendipitous spark or rethink the power of observation? Drop it in the comments and keep his life-saving legacy alive!