History of Microbiology Flashcards
Who invented the Microscope and when?
Antonie Van Leewenhoek
What was the first Microscopes maximum magnification?
300X
What term was first used to refer to microbes?
animalcules
What were the two original theories for the origin of microbes?
- The doctrine of spontaneous generation
2. The germ theory of disease
What is the other name for the Doctrine of spontaneous generation. What was the main theory of it?
Also called Abiogenesis
It was a belief held by many that living things came from non-living objects.
(rats from old clothing, maggots from rotten meat, microbes from broth.
Explain the germ theory of disease.
2 statements
- Living things came from other living things.
2. Germs(animalcules) can invade other organisms and produce disease.
What are the four famous experiments that refuted abiogenesis?
Redi’s
Spallanzani’s
Pasteur’s
Tyndall’s
Explain Redi’s Experiment
When, What, Conclusion
17th century
The Italian physicist set up three jars with meat. One jar was unopened, one was corked, and the last was covered with gauze.
upon observation both meats in sealed jars had no maggots on the meat whereas the meat in the open jar did.
Conclusion: maggots came from flies not rotten meat.
Explain Spallanzani’s Experiment
When, What, Conclusion
17th Cen.
The Italian priest and Scientist studied microbial growth in broth.
He boiled broth in two flasks and corked one flask while leaving the other open. One flask grew microbes the other did not.
Conclusion: Microbes did not come from broth
Explain Pasteur’s Experiment.
When, What, Conclusion
1859
Trying to disprove claims that the other experiments failed because there was no air exposure. Pasteur, a french chemist, created an experiment that allowed air to reach the sample using a “swan neck” flask. The dust carrying the microbes got caught in the neck of the flask proving that the air is not what carries microbes nor is it required as a part of abiogenesis.
conclusion: Even in the presence of air, there was no abiogenesis.
Explain Tyndall’s experiment
When, What, Conclusion
late 1800’s
A sealed broth flask experiment that allowed access to unfiltered untreated air after that air has been “sterilized” by allowing it to settle.
conclusion: Finally refuted abiogenesis.
When was the golden age of microbiology?
Mid 19th century to early 20th century
Who were the two most important contributors to microbiology during the “Golden age”
Louis Pasteur
Robert Koch
Who is considered the father of microbiology?
Louis Pasteur
What were the contributions to Microbiology of Louis Pasteur
4
- Discovered anaerobic life and the role of microbes in the fermentation process.
- Developed the pasteurization process for wine&beer
- identified microbes that cause disease in silkworms
- Developed the first effective vaccine against rabies
What did Robert Koch Contribute to the field of Microbiology?
8
- Disc. Anthrax came from Bacillus Anthracis
- First to isolate bac. in a pure culture using streak plate and pour plate methods
- Developed agar medium
- Identified the TB causing bacterium
- isolated the cholera causing bacterim
- The first Microbiology Professor
- First to study malaria, typhoid fev, sleeping sickness
- established the Koch Postulates
What two physicians were inspired to implement sanitary procedures in hospitals by Pasteur and Koch
Semmelweis Austria mid 1800’s
Lister England, 1865
What disease was Semmelweis trying to prevent when he attempted to implement aseptic procedures in maternity wards. What caused it?
puerperal fever
Caused by failure to wash up after coming into contact with a cadaver
What did Dr. Lister use in his aseptic practices?
carbolic acid
Who was the father of antiseptics?
Lister.
Listerine was named after him
Who was the father of chemotherapy?
What was he looking for?
Ehrlick 1878
He looked for “magic bullets” that could target pathogens but spare host tissue.
Discovered Salvastran vs syphilis
Who was A. Fleming and what was his contribution.
He discovered penicillin the first antibiotic.
When was the era of Microbiology?
mid 20th Century to present.
What did Avery, McCarthy, and Mcleod discover?
that dna is the hereditary material
What did Hershey and Chase Demonstrate?
That Dna/Rna are the genetic material of viruses
What did Watson, Crick and Wilkins discover?
The structure of DNA
What did Holley, Khorana, and Nirenberg discover in two years.
The genetic code
What did smith, Nathans, Arber develop?
Restriction enzymes to cut DNA in specific places
When did the FDA approve the first genetically engenered food?
What was it?
1994
Slow ripening Tomatos
Who was responsible for the 2001 anthrax bioterrorism?
His motives?
Bruce Ivins
He was a CDC scientist that developed a vaccine to anthrax. Wanted to see it used.
