The antibacterial property of hen egg white, due to the lysozyme it contains, was first observed by Laschtschenko in 1909. The bacteria-killing activity of nasal mucous was demonstrated in 1922 by Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, who coined the term lysozyme. Fleming reported, saying. "As this substance has properties akin to those of ferments I have called it a 'Lysozyme'." Fleming went on to show that an enzymic substance was present in a wide variety of secretions and was capable of rapidly lysing (i.e. dissolving) different bacteria, particularly a yellow "coccus" that he studied".