Accidental Discoveries

When you hear about a new pill or medication, what do you assume? That the medication is tested thoroughly and its intended effects and side effects are known, well think again.  Pills are made pretty much by trial and error; it looks like it might work so let’s try it out.

                Now don’t get the wrong idea either, scientists aren’t just mixing stuff and selling it, medications have some form of intended purpose. The curious thing is though that these medications serve multiple illnesses. For example, bromides were supposed to reduce the sexual impulse because it was believed that masturbation produced epileptic attacks thus bromides were supposed to reduce epileptic attacks. Although bromide did decrease epileptic attacks as well as cause impotence in men, it wasn’t because these two factors were related.

                Another accidental discovery was latisse originally derived from Lumigan a glaucoma treatment. Latisse is a wonder drug used to grow longer, thicker or darker lashes. Who would’ve guessed it right? Among others are Viagra, originally meant as a vasodilator, iproniazid the first antidepressant meant to treat tuberculosis and most famous of all is Penicillin. Discovered in 1928 penicillin was a mold growing in a petri dish, penicillin lead to cures to diseases such as syphilis, gangrene and tuberculosis.

                It’s crazy how some of the greatest moments in medicine occurred through by a stroke of chance. I think we got the right idea it’s just that sometimes it’s the obvious that evades us that the answers emerge on their own.