Chapter 1: history of microbiology

Question 1

Give the contributions to the science of Microbiology by Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek
that were discussed in class.

Answer 1

• view microorganisms and record these
  observations (protozoa and algae)
• He developed the first microscope.
• Reported his first observations in 1676

Question 2

Give the contributions to the science of Microbiology by Dr. Louis Pasteur that we
discussed in our lecture.

Answer 2

• His experiments disproved the doctrine of abiogenesis
• Developed the process of pasteurization
• Introduced the vaccine against rabies
• Proposed “the germ theory of disease”

Question 3

Describe what the germ theory of disease states.

Answer 3

• “some microorganisms are capable of causing diseases”

Question 4

Give the postulates of Dr. Robert Koch

Answer 4

• Postulate 1: the suspected causative agent must be present in every case of the disease and absent from healthy host
• Postulate 2: the agent must be isolated and growth outside the host
• Postulate 3: the agent is introduced into a healthy, susceptible host, the host must develop the disease.
• Postulate 4: the same agent must be re-isolated from the disease experimental host.

Question 5

Give the contributions to the science of Microbiology by Dr. Robert Koch that were
Discussed in lecture.

Answer 5

• Discovered the organism that causes tuberculosis
• Discovered the organism that causes anthrax
• Introduced the use of solid culture media
• He introduced a series of postulates to prove the germ theory of disease

Question 6

Give the main contributions to the science of Microbiology by Dr. Joseph Lister.

Answer 6

• He was the founder of antiseptic surgery
• He started treating wounds and surgical incisions by spraying them with carbolic acid (phenol).
• He was able to reduce deaths by 66% in surgical interventions.

Question 7

1. Explain or define what a scientific name is.

Answer 7

• Scientific name- are binomial system consisting of genus name and a species name.

Question 8

Explain or define what a strain is

Answer 8

Strains- Strains are organisms from a particular species that differ in one specific trait from the rest of the organisms within that species. Strains are given a code besides the scientific name.