Includes bibliographical references (page 104) and index.

Amazing medical breakthroughs are made every day. In the past decades, medical researchers have cured diseases that were once deadly and devised new methods to heal that were once unimaginable. This title follows the development of antibiotics, including premodern forerunners to antibiotics, groundbreaking discoveries and the doctors who made them, and where the science is heading in the future. Learn how antibiotics work and why scientists need to continually discover new drugs. Sidebars, full-color photos, a glossary, and well-placed graphs, charts, and maps, enhance this engaging title--publisher.