Breaking the mould: Fleming’s gift that saved millions goes on display

IT WAS made to mark one of the greatest breakthroughs in medical history and one of Scotland’s most important gifts to the world.

Now, a penicillin mould, created by Alexander Fleming, which has been lying forgotten in the University of Edinburgh since the 1950s, is to feature in a new exhibition, entitled Masterpieces II. The mould – a gift from Fleming to mark his time as rector – will feature amongst a number of rare items, including a rarely seen watercolour by Pablo Picasso, religious parchments from the ninth century, a 16th-century prototype of a violin, copies of Sir Isaac Newton’s groundbreaking work on physics and one of America’s oldest books, entitled Indian Primer, right, written by John Eliot in 1669. The exhibition opens in its main library on 31 March.

The mould was made in the labs where Fleming accidentally discovered the antibiotic powers of penicillin after leaving glass plates coated with bacteria overnightPictures: Jayne Wright

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