One reason why there were changes in the treatment of diseases in the 20th century was the development of penicillin. In the early 20th century, people could die from a small wound due to infection. In 1928, Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin. However, it wasn't until 1939 that Florey and Chain began to investigate how penicillin could be mass produced. Their experiments became successful in 1943 when penicillin was used to treat wounded soldiers in the Second World War (K). This changed how diseases were treated because it allowed people to recover from injuries rather than dying from infection. This made the treatment of minor to severe injuries easier, allowing people to recover (SOC). However, during the 20th century, some bacteria had become resistant to penicillin. This encouraged scientists to discover more versions of antibiotics that can treat penicillin-resistant diseases. Another reason for the change in treatment in the 20th century was the actions of the government. Before the 20th century, the government had a laissez-faire attitude towards public health. This means that the government did not believe that it was their responsibility to ensure people could access effective treatment for diseases. However, in the 20th century, the government took a proactive role in the treatment of disease. The government funded the development of penicillin and of new treatments for various diseases such as cancer (K). This helped change the treatment of disease because it advanced the progress of developing new cures. In the 20th century, the government's support ensured that people's standards of living and their life expectancy increased during the 20th and the 21st centuries (SOC). Therefore, the government's proactive attitude towards health in the 20th century led to a significant change in treatments in the 20th century. The final reason why there was a change in treatments is the development of the NHS. The Labour government under Aneurin Bevan launched the NHS (the National Health Service) in 1948. It provided free care for everyone at the point of access (K). The government used the existing hospitals and medical services and took them under their control. This changed treatment because the NHS increased people's access to healthcare. People were no longer turned away for being unable to pay for treatment. This meant that the poorer people in society had improved health in the 20th century. In addition, more patients had access to specialist doctors, skilled in treating their condition. This meant that more people received the correct treatment for their illness (SOC). Therefore, the NHS caused significant changes in how people accessed treatments in the 20th century.