--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I doubt that Fleming could have obtained…" description: "\"I doubt that Fleming could have obtained a grant for the discovery of penicillin on that basis [a requirement for highly detailed research plans] becau..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png" --- # I doubt that Fleming could have obtained a grant for the… ![“I doubt that Fleming could have obtained a grant for the discovery of penicillin on that basis [a requirement for highly detailed research plans] because he could not have said, 'I propose to have an accident in a culture so that it will be spoiled by a mould falling on it, and I propose to…” quote by Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png) > “I doubt that Fleming could have obtained a grant for the discovery of penicillin on that basis \[a requirement for highly detailed research plans\] because he could not have said, 'I propose to have an accident in a culture so that it will be spoiled by a mould falling on it, and I propose to recognize the possibility of extracting an antibiotic from this mould.'” [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Research breakthroughs often arise from unexpected accidents, not from meticulously planned proposals. **In simple terms:** Accidents, not detailed plans, drive discovery. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty in research. Themes innovation serendipity science research funding Mood curious optimistic Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - lab experiments - grant proposals - clinical trials - R&D strategy Key Concepts serendipity risk tolerance creative thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can funding bodies support exploratory work? - What balance between planning and flexibility yields best results? A Different Perspective Overly rigid planning can stifle creative breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Antibiotic Mould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antibiotic-mould-4871852/) [Antibiotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antibiotics/) [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Discovery Penicillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery-penicillin-2570342/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-fleming-4871850/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fleming Obtained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleming-obtained-4871846/) [Grants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grants/) [Mould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mould/) [Penicillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penicillin/) [Penicillin Basis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penicillin-basis-4871849/) [Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Propose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propose/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Spoiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoiled/) ## Related quotes > [It's like The Mold in Dr. Florey's Coat, about the discovery of penicillin. Out of these strange accidents come huge discoveries. A certain purple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/it-s-like-the-mold-in-dr-florey-s-coat-about-the-discovery-of/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [(The discovery of penicillin) was a triumph of accident, a fortunate occurrence which happened while I was working on a purely academic bacteriological problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fleming/the-discovery-of-penicillin-was-a-triumph-of-accident-a-fortunate/) [Alexander Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fleming/) > [In my first publication I might have claimed that I had come to the conclusion, as a result of serious study of the literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fleming/in-my-first-publication-i-might-have-claimed-that-i-had-come-to-the/) [Alexander Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fleming/) > [I had pneumonia when I was 18 months old and I was given penicillin, which I was allergic to, and since then my teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/i-had-pneumonia-when-i-was-18-months-old-and-i-was-given-penicillin/) [Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/) > [I had fallen in love with a young man..., and we were planning to get married. And then he died of subacute bacterial endocarditis...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/i-had-fallen-in-love-with-a-young-man-and-we-were-planning-to-get/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [The genius of Man in our time has gone into jet-propulsion, atom-splitting, penicillin-curing, etc. There is left none over for works of imagination; of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/the-genius-of-man-in-our-time-has-gone-into-jet-propulsion-atom/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [No king or minister could have instructed Newton to discover the law of gravity, for they did not know and could not know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-northcote-parkinson/no-king-or-minister-could-have-instructed-newton-to-discover-the-law/) [C. Northcote Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-northcote-parkinson/) > [Prior to penicillin and medical research, death was an everyday occurrence. It was intimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/prior-to-penicillin-and-medical-research-death-was-an-everyday/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [The only reason we don't notice how absolutely interwoven our thinking processes have become with older technologies - pencils, paper, electric light, penicillin, fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-thompson/the-only-reason-we-don-t-notice-how-absolutely-interwoven-our/) [Clive Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-thompson/) > [Stay in college, get the knowledge. And stay there until you're through. If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/stay-in-college-get-the-knowledge-and-stay-there-until-you-re-through/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fleming/if-penicillin-can-cure-those-that-are-ill-spanish-sherry-can-bring/) [Alexander Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fleming/) > [I grew up thinking that it was immoral to idealize the past because, in the past, there was slavery and no penicillin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/i-grew-up-thinking-that-it-was-immoral-to-idealize-the-past-because/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [If penicillin had been judged by its toxicity to guinea pigs, it might never have been used by man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/if-penicillin-had-been-judged-by-its-toxicity-to-guinea-pigs-it-might/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [I have been trying to point out that in our lives chance may have an astonishing influence and, if I may offer advice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fleming/i-have-been-trying-to-point-out-that-in-our-lives-chance-may-have-an/) [Alexander Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fleming/) > [“The city is a plague… and I am the penicillin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-j-c-veit/the-city-is-a-plague-and-i-am-the-penicillin/) [Jerry J.C. Veit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-j-c-veit/) ## More by Hans Selye > [The element of chance in basic research is overrated. Chance is a lady who smiles only upon those few who know how to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/the-element-of-chance-in-basic-research-is-overrated-chance-is-a-lady/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [To remain healthy a man must have some goal, some purpose in life that he can respect and be proud to work for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/to-remain-healthy-a-man-must-have-some-goal-some-purpose-in-life-that/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Leaders are leaders only as long as they have the respect and loyalty of their followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/leaders-are-leaders-only-as-long-as-they-have-the-respect-and-loyalty/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Stress is the spice of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/stress-is-the-spice-of-life/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Stress, in addition to being itself, was also the cause of itself, and the result of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/stress-in-addition-to-being-itself-was-also-the-cause-of-itself-and/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Stress is not necessarily something bad it all depends on how you take it. The stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/stress-is-not-necessarily-something-bad-it-all-depends-on-how-you/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/every-stress-leaves-an-indelible-scar-and-the-organism-pays-for-its/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [My advice to any young person at the beginning of their career is to try to look for the mere outlines of big things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/my-advice-to-any-young-person-at-the-beginning-of-their-career-is-to/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Gratitude conserves the vital energies of a person more than any other attitude tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/gratitude-conserves-the-vital-energies-of-a-person-more-than-any/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [As much as we thirst for approval we dread condemnation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/as-much-as-we-thirst-for-approval-we-dread-condemnation/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Even after the greatest defeats, the depressing thought of being a failure is best combated by taking stock of all your past achievements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/even-after-the-greatest-defeats-the-depressing-thought-of-being-a/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/adopting-the-right-attitude-can-convert-a-negative-stress-into-a/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [The builder of the best racing car is not necessarily its best driver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/the-builder-of-the-best-racing-car-is-not-necessarily-its-best-driver/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true science. He who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/the-fairest-thing-we-can-experience-is-the-mysterious-it-is-the/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) > [To make a great dream come true, you must first have a great dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/to-make-a-great-dream-come-true-you-must-first-have-a-great-dream/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) [Explore all 37 Hans Selye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I doubt that Fleming could have obtained a grant for the discovery of penicillin on that basis [a requirement for highly detailed research plans] because he could not have said, 'I propose to have an accident in a culture so that it will be spoiled by a mould falling on it, and I propose to recognize the possibility of extracting an antibiotic from this mould.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hans Selye" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained-a-grant-for-the-discovery-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained-a-grant-for-the-discovery-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/hans-selye-17189_accidents_i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained_1394880.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I doubt that Fleming could have obtained a grant for the discovery of penicillin on that basis [a…” — Hans Selye", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hans Selye", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I doubt that Fleming could have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained-a-grant-for-the-discovery-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/i-doubt-that-fleming-could-have-obtained-a-grant-for-the-discovery-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```