Staph Retreat

The podcast explores the discovery of penicillin and the subsequent rise of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, particularly staph. It highlights the rapid development of resistance to new antibiotics and the eventual decline in antibiotic research due to financial disincentives. The discussion introduces Christina Lee, a historian, and Freya Harrison, a microbiologist, who investigate Bald's Leech Book, an Anglo-Saxon medical text. They recreate a thousand-year-old remedy for eye infections involving garlic, onion, ox gall, wine, and brass, finding it surprisingly effective against MRSA. This leads to a broader discussion about revisiting historical remedies and the potential for lost resistances to be exploited, suggesting a cyclical approach to combating antibiotic resistance.