Alexander Fleming

The greatest joy of a scientist is to see his work used for the benefit of mankind.

I am not an orator, but a simple bacteriologist.

It is a happy accident that the mold grew on my plate, but it was not an accident that I recognized it.

The bacteriologist is a detective. He must follow every clue, however small.

I had no idea at the time that I was making a discovery that would change the course of medicine.

My work was not a flash of genius, but a gradual unfolding of facts.

The mold was a lucky accident, but the observation was not.

It is not often that one finds a substance that is both highly bactericidal and non-toxic to animal tissues.

I am sometimes asked what I think of the future of penicillin. I think it has a great future, but it must be used wisely.

The greatest tragedy is the misuse of a good thing.

The world is full of interesting things. You just have to look for them.

I have been fortunate in my life to have seen the benefits of my discovery.

The mold was there, I just saw it.

It has been said that I am a lucky man. I agree. I have been very lucky.

The early days of penicillin were full of disappointments, but we never gave up.

I am not a hero. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

The discovery of penicillin was a series of small observations, not a single eureka moment.

The scientist has to be a perpetual child, always asking 'Why?'

I often wonder how many other useful molds have been thrown away by bacteriologists.

It is not wise to be too dogmatic in science. One must always be prepared to change one's mind.