The discovery of antibiotics makes the treatment of diseases very easy. i. What do you understand by 'antibiotics'? ii. Which was the first antibiotic and who discovered it? iii. How are the antibiotics classified? -

Explanation

i. Antibiotics are chemical substances produced by microorganisms which can inhibit the growth or even destroy other microorganisms. .
ih The first antibiotic discovered was penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1929 from a mould called penicillium notatum.
ii. These are classified into narnow spectrum antibiotics and broad spectrum antibioits
a. Narrow spectrum antibiotics : These are effective against only a few microwrganisms. cg. penicillin.
b. Broad spectrum antibiotics : These are substances which attack a wide range of microorganisms cg. tetracycline, chloramphenicol etc.