Antibiotics

[Luzzly]

I am reading a book about Galileo , and it mentions antibiotics. Would that term have been used in the 17th century? And if so, referring to what?

[boxtops]

They might have called it something else - a programme about ancient Egypt last week told that they knew that if you wrapped mouldy bread round a wound, it helped to clear it up. The ancients knew a lot we'd forgotten until it was reinvented.

[Sqad]

Antibiotics and antisepsis are two differing concepts leading to a common end result....the death of organisms.

Antibiotics first came into play around 1939 with the discovery of Prontosil a sulphonamide and then a couple of years later penicillin. These were not available in a medical form before that time.

Antisepsis is what your reading should have said....not antibiotics.....semantics maybe, but this would involve iodine, alcohol and soap and water....the latter alas forgotten in our hospitals.