Before antibiotics, millions died each year of diseases we can easily treat today. If we’re not careful, we may be headed back to those deadly days.

In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered that a fungus, Penicillin rubrum, could kill bacteria. But his fellow doctors wouldn’t listen.

It wasn’t until 1943, when he cured a patient dying of meningitis in just one week, that they finally paid attention.

Fleming won the Nobel Prize but cautioned that bacteria could grow resistant to penicillin—if the patient took too little or for too short a time.

Again, people didn’t listen. And did what he warned against.

Just 20 years later, some bacteria had evolved to resist penicillin, including strains of pneumonia and Staphylococcus—the staph infection that plagues hospitals today. 

Desperate scientists have searched everywhere for something to help, including thousand-year-old medical texts. Among potions to ward off elves and night goblins, they found a salve made of cow bile, wine and herbs that actually fights the deadly staph. Today a commercial version is available.

Meanwhile, improper antibiotic use continues to breed superbugs. But, you can help. If you’re prescribed antibiotics, finish the entire dose.

If not, you could be training new strains of bacteria—that won’t respond to medieval folk cures.