Antibiotics have transformed medicine by providing treatments for bacterial infections that were previously untreatable. Before antibiotics, many deaths were caused by bacteria like Streptococcus pyogenes. Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928 led to the development of antibiotics that could kill bacteria. While antibiotics have saved many lives, their overuse and misuse has led to increased antibiotic resistance, which is now a major public health challenge. Proper antibiotic stewardship is needed to ensure these important drugs remain effective.