Rep. Spain on the floor of the Illinois House of Representatives.
Rep. Spain displays a specially made “Peoria Penicillin” hockey jersey that was made in honor of Illinois’ official state microbe – Penicillium rubens NRRL 1951. Mass production of penicillium was discovered in Peoria at the National Agriculture Utilization Laboratory and paved the way for penicillin to improve health outcomes all over the world throughout the twentieth century.