Alexander Fleming's mould samples sold at auction

Samples of penicillin mould, signed and inscribed by Sir Alexander Fleming, have been sold at auction.

Labelled as "the mould which makes penicillin", the green substance was produced by Fleming in his laboratory after he discovered penicillin in 1928.

The Ayrshire-born bacteriologist went on to the win the 1945 Nobel Prize in medicine for the discovery which ultimately revolutionised medicine.

The samples were sold at Bonhams in London for £24,375.

It was while studying influenza that Sir Alexander famously noticed mould had developed accidentally on a set of culture dishes being used to grow the staphylococci germ.

Papers and memorabilia

The mould had created a bacteria-free circle around itself. Sir Alexander experimented further and named the active substance penicillin.

However, it was two other scientists - Australian Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, a refugee from Nazi Germany - who developed penicillin further so that it could be produced as a drug.-read more