In 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming, working at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, observed that a bluish-green mold had contaminated a culture of Staphylococcus, and that the areas of the Staphylococcus bacteria nearest to the mold were being destroyed. Upon testing a pure culture of this mold, Fleming discovered that the mold killed many types of bacteria. He named the substance penicillin and published his results in 1929.

It was not, however, until over a decade later that a team of researchers from Oxford, aided by an American laboratory, were able to increase the growth rate of penicillin—by then recognized to be the strongest antibacterial agent known at that time—such that enough of it could be produced to treat Allied soldiers wounded on D-Day, in 1944.

Consider each of the answer choices separately and indicate all that apply.

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. Fleming did not fully appreciate the therapeutic value of penicillin.
B. At some point prior to 1944, penicillin could not be grown fast enough.
C. Since ancient times, antibacterial agents have been used to treat wounded soldiers.