Penicillin injection, World War II. Injection of a drug, possibly penicillin, into a knee that has been injured by a high-explosive shell fragment (HESF). The injury is a compound (open skin wound), comminuted (broken into multiple pieces) fracture of the patella (knee-cap). Such fractures are particularly prone to bacterial infection, hence the injection of antibiotics to prevent this. Penicillin had been discovered in 1928, but was not widely used as an antibiotic until its mass production for the US Army in World War II. Photographed at the US Army's 46th General Hospital, which was stationed in Algeria and Europe between 1942 and 1945.