Microbiologists Flashcards
Learn about famous microbiologists throughout history
Anthony von Leeuwenhoek (1673-1723)
Improved and made microscopes (inspected fabric)
Detailed drawings of “animalcules”
Presented findings to Royal Society of London
Robert Hooke (1665)
Saw individual “cells” or “little boxes”
Created “Cell Theory”: All living things composed of cells
Edward Jenner (1796)
Used cow pox to vaccinate against small pox
Demonstrated vaccination through scientific process
Injected material from milkmaid’s cow pox lesion into small boy. Recovered from cow pox then immune to small pox
Louis Pasteur (1861)
Settled Biogenesis dispute with gooseneck flasks: microorganisms could not contact boiled broth so no growth found
Studied fermentation
Developed pasteurization
Developed anthrax and rabies vaccine
Germ theory of disease: micro organisms cause disease (Koch and Pasteur)
Robert Koch (1861)
Linked specific microbes to diseases (Anthrax=Bacillus Anthracis, tuberculosis, cholera)
Developed pure culture methods (gelatin/agar)
Koch’s Postulates
Koch’s Postulates
- The same pathogen must be present in every case
- Pathogen must be isolated from host and grown in pure culture
- Pathogen must then cause disease when inoculated into healthy animal
- Pathogen must then be isolated from inoculated animal and be shown in the original animal
Golden Age of Microbiology
1857-1914
Spearheaded by Koch and Pasteur
Improved: microscopes, culture techniques, vaccine, surgery
Established: food spoilage, fermentation, disease
John Snow
Epidemiology
Tracked cholera epidemic based on mapping deaths due to contaminated water source
Ignaz Semmelweis
Developed aniseptic technique in the 1840s
Mother/baby mortality lower with mid-wives bc doctors autopsied in the morning and spread infection
Promoted hand washing and chlorinated water
Joseph Lister
Surgery procedure:
- hand washing
- Carbolic Acid used on wounds, instruments, and air
- heat for sterilization
- Antiseptics used to prevent microorganisms from infecting wounds
Florence Nightingale
Modern nursing practice
- cleanliness
- prevent bed sores
Hospital standards
Cleanliness, ventilation, light
Proved changed increased mortality rates
Did not believe in germ theory but understood infection control
Alexander Fleming
Accidentally discovers penicillin
Growing staphylococcus and solid media grew mold
Bacteria did not grow near mold - proved inhibited growth
Florey, Heatley, and Chain
Purified penicillin before and during WWII
Paul Ehrlich
~1900
Chemicals to specifically target bacteria
“Magic Bullet”
Salvarsan to treat Syphilis - 1st antibiotic chemotherapy
Sulfa Drugs - derivative of dyes
John Tyndall and Ferdinand Cohn
Observed some microbes tolerant of high heat
Discovered Endospores
Sterility required elimination of Endospores and viruses