Alexander Fleming
August 6, 1881 – March 11, 1955

One of the most important discoveries of the 20th century was the penicillin. The man who discovered it, was a fellow Mason, one of the most respected men of his time – Alexander Fleming.

Born at Lochfield near Darvel in Ayrshire, Scotland on August 6th, 1881. He attended St. Mary’s Medical School, London University. Served throughout World War I as a captain in the Army Medical Corps.

In 1928, while working on influenza virus, he observed that mould had developed accidently on a staphylococcus culture plate and that the mould had created a bacteria-free circle around itself. He was inspired to further experiment and he found that a mould culture prevented growth of staphylococci, even when diluted 800 times. He named the active substance penicillin. That discovery has changed the modern medicine and saved milions of lives.

In 1945, he received the Nobel Prize for medicine.Alexander Fleming was initiated in 1909, at Sancta Maria Lodge #2682 in London and was also a member of Misericordi Lodge #3286, also in London. He was a Past Junior Grand Warden of UGLE.