History of microbiology

Question 1

What is microbiology?

Answer 1

Study of microbes or microorganisms.

Question 2

What are microbes

Answer 2

They are minute living things that are usually unable to be viewed under naked eyes

Question 3

Benefits of micro-organisms

Answer 3

• production of antibiotics and foodstuffs
• Decompose organic waste
• Produce industrial chemicals such as ethyl alcohol and acetone
• Produce fermented food such as vinegar, cheese, and bread

Question 4

About Robert Hooke

Answer 4

• In 1665, he reported how living things were composed of cells
• devised the compound microscope

date:1665

Question 5

Who is the father of biotechnology?

Answer 5

Antoni van leeuwenhoek
- Made a simple microscope and began observing with them.
- Discovered bacteria ( was called animalcules)

Question 6

Components of Leeuwenhoek’s microscope

Answer 6

• a screw for adjusting the height of the object being examined.
• metal plate serving as body
• skewer to impale the object and rotate it
• Lens which are spherical

Question 7

Theory about spontaneous generation

Answer 7

-Theory states that living organisms from inanimate objects.

-According to Aristotle, some vital force in organic matter can create living organisms from inanimate objects.

aristotle

Question 8

Who disapproved of the theory of spontaneous generation

Answer 8

In 1668 by Italian Scientist Francesco Redi

Question 9

Who revived the theory of spontaneous generation

Answer 9

In 1745 John Needham,
( -Took the chicken broth and heated it, after some time kept the flask to cool and sit at a constant temperature to see that some microorganisms developed)

Question 10

Who is Lazaro Spallanzani

Answer 10

• In 1776, he demonstrated that these microorganisms were already present in the broth, flask, or air.
• Lazzaro Spallanzani boiled broth to kill microorganisms and then left some broth open to the air while sealing others. Microorganisms only appeared in unsealed containers
• He knew the solution would BREED organisms

Question 11

Who disapproved/settled spontaneous generation.

Answer 11

• Louise Pasteur is the father of microbiology
• He demonstrated through his swan neck flask experiment,
  that microorganisms can exist in the air and contaminate sterile solutions by passing air through cotton filters.
• The filter trapped the tiny particles floating in the air

Question 12

Who performed to find why the wines and diary product became sour.

Answer 12

Louise Pasteur
- He found bacteria was to blame. (lactic acid fermentation)
- He realized how bacteria could be one of the reasons for human illness.
- Understood the importance of microorganisms in everyday life

Question 13

Duration of golden age of microbiology

Answer 13

1857-1914
Discoveries included the relationship btw microbes and disease, immunity and antimicrobial medicine

Question 14

State the germ theory of disease

Answer 14

States that specific microscopic organisms are the cause of the specific diseases.

Question 15

Relation btw Pasteur and the germ theory of disease

Answer 15

• showed that microbes are responsible for fermentation
• Microbial growth is responsible for the spoilage of food and it can be killed by pasteurization (heat)
• Developed vaccines for anthrax and rabies

Question 16

Scientist’s thoughts related to the theory

Answer 16

• 1835: Agostino Bassi
  showed a silkworm disease was caused by a fungus
• 1865: Pasteur
  another silkworm disease was caused by protozoan
• 1840: Ignaz Semmelwise
  Advocated hand washing to prevent transmission of fever from one patient to another
• 1860: Joseph Lister (father of antiseptic surgery)
  He used a chemical disinfectant(carbolic acid) to prevent surgical wound infection

Question 17

Who is Robert Koch

Answer 17

In 1867, he provided the proof that bacterium causes anthrax
His postulates proved that a specific microbe causes a specific disease

Question 18

Koch’s Postulates

Answer 18

• pathogen must be present in all cases of diseases.
• It must be isolated and grown in a lab in a pure culture
• The pathogens from pure culture must cause the disease when inoculated in a healthy lab animal.
• The same pathogen must be isolated from the diseased lab animal

Question 19

Who is Paul Ehrlich

Answer 19

He synthesized a series of specific antimicrobial drugs

eg) Arsphenamine - the first synthetic agent against syphilis

Question 20

Note about discovery of Penicillin

Answer 20

• Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic
• Observed that penicillium secreted an antibiotic, penicillin that killed staphylococcus aureus.
• In 1940, it was tested clinically and was available by the end of world war 2

Question 21

Who developed agar

Answer 21

Angelina Hesse
wife of Walter Hesse who worked in Koch’s lab

Question 22

Use of agar

Answer 22

The use of agar is to grow micro-organisms
Agar is not attacked by most bacteria
It is better than gelatin because of the high mp(96) and solidifying point(40-45).