BBC News Online looks at the problems facing the 20th century's greatest medical advance. A brief history of antibiotics Antibiotics have revolutionised medical care in the 20th century, but in recent years bugs have been winning the battle against the medical profession. Scientists are working hard to find new ways to defeat bacteria that are increasingly resisting the antibiotics already available. Dos and don'ts of taking antibiotics Antibiotics are useful in combatting bacterial illnesses, but doctors say patients need to be aware of the do and don'ts of using them. When 'no' is the hardest word We are living in the age of a pill for all ills - but we need to learn some restraint, says BBC Doctor Colin Thomas.
Antibiotics have a place in farming, but it is their indiscriminate use that is causing concern.