The development of the Germ theory and its impact on the treatment of disease in Britain Flashcards
Who was Louis Pasteur ?
Louis Pasteur was a French scientist who was asked to investigate why alcoholic drinks like beer and wine, sometimes went sour.
What was Pouis Pasteur’s solution to stop the alcoholic drinks from going sour ?
His solution was to heat the drinks briefly to kill off disease-causing bacteria. This became know as pasteurisation
Where did Pasteur think germs came from and why did he think that these germs were causing liquids to go sour ?
He thought germs from the air were causing the liquids to
go
sour. He also speculated that germs might be getting into humans and causing disease.
when did Pasteur publish his Germ theory ?
In 1861
Who
paid for Pasteur to set up a research team and why ?
The French government paid for Pasteur to set up a research team to carry out experiments to prove his theory correct
What did Pasteur prove in 1865 ?
In 1865, Pasteur proved that the disease killing silkworms (used to produce silk) was being spread by germs in the air. This was the first time it was proved that germs were causing disease in animals
Who was Robert Koch ?
A German doctor who built on Pasteur’s work.
What importante breakthroughs did Koch’s research team make in 1876 ?
They identified that the bacterium that was causing anthrax (a disease that affected animals and humans)
What was the significance of Koch’s team identifying the bacterium in 1876?
This was the first time anyone had identified the specific microbe causing a particular disease. It was proof that Pasteur’s Germ theory was correct.
What method did Koch develop ?
Koch developed a method of staining bacteria to make them easier to study.
How was Koch’s new method of staining bacteria helpful ?
It meant that bacteria could be photographed using a new, high-quality lens.
What did Koch discover using his new method of staining bacteria and photographing it ?
Koch used his method to identify the tiny bacterium that caused tuberculosis.
What was the king term effect of Koch’s method ?
His method became widely used and by the 1900,
scientists had found the bacteria that caused other killer disease, such as typhoid, pneumonia and plague.
What factors helped in the development of the Germ theory and the hunt for microbes ?
- Individuals
- Chance
-Communication
- Science and technology
How did individuals help in the development of the Green theory and the hunt for microbes ?
- Pasteur’s genius, determination and experiments
- Koch developing a method to stain bacteria
How did chance help in the development of the germ theory and the hunt for microbes ?
- Working for the French alcohol industry and silk industry gave Pasteur the opportunity to develop his ideas.
How did communication help in the development of the germ theory and the hunt for microbes ?
- Koch read Pasteur’s research and boil
on it to identify specific germs that causes a particular disease - Other scientists were able to use Koch’s method to discover bacteria that caused other disease and vaccines to prevent them.
How did science and technology help in the development of the germ theory and the hunt for microbes ?
- Pasteur benefited from improved microscopes
- Koch used new, high-quality photographic lenses to study bacteria.
Why was the development of the germ theory a massive trying point ?
Overtime, it persuaded people that bad air was not the cause of disease and for the first time, doctors understood what really did cause disease and thus revolutionised medicine and health care.
What acronyms do you use do remember why the development of the Germ theory was so important ?
VAST:
V - Vaccines
A - Acts
S - Surgery
T - Treatments
The germ theory was important because it helped the development of vaccines, it introduced new acts, allowed surgery to become safer and introduce new treatment.
How did the development of the germ theory help with vaccines ?
Once specific bacteria was linked to a specific disease, vaccines were developed to prevent them
How did the development of the germ theory help to introduce acts from the government ?
The government introduced public health Acts (laws) to improve living conditions (providing fresh water supplies and sewage systems)
How did the development of the germ theory allow surgery to become
safer ?
Antiseptics were developed to kill germs during operations and stop infections. Aseptic surgery was developed to make sure that operation theatres were germ free.
How did the development of the germ theory lead to new treatments ?
New treatments includes chemical drugs (magic bullets) that were developed to destroy the harmful bacteria that caused diseases. In the early twentieth century, antibiotics were developed to kill bacteria in the body.
Who created the vaccine against anthrax ?
Pasteur’s research team developed a vaccine against anthrax. He tested this successfully in a public experiment and the new spread rapidly around Europe
How created the vaccine for Rabies ?
Pasteur developed a vaccine gaisnt rabies. He tested it successfully in dogs but did not know if it would work on people. The chance to find out can in 1885, when he tested it on a young bit ago has been bitten by a rabid dog. Pasteur gave the body 13 injections over a two-week period. This saved his life
What other disease did other scientists developed vaccines against from following Pasteur’s work ?
- Tuberculosis (1909)
- Tetanas (1927)
- Measles (1950s)
- Polio (1950s)
Who created the first chemical cure (magic bullet) ?
Paul Ehrlich
What had Paul Ehrlich been part of ?
Koch’s research team.
When did Paul Ehrlich develop the dirt chemical cure for a disease ?
In 1909
What was the first chemical cure called ?
Salvarsan 606
Why did Ehrlich also call it a magic bullet ?
Because it homes in on and destroyed the harmful bacterial that caused syphillis
How many prior did Salvarsan cure within 3 years?
Salvarsan had cured 10,000 people of syphilis within 3 years.
Who developed the second chemical
magic bulled ?
Gerhard Domagk
What was the name of the chemical magic bullet that Gerhard Domagk developed ?
Prontosil
When did Gerhard Domagk develop Prontosil ?
In the 1930s
What was Prontosil used to cure ?
Blood posining
What is the main problem with magic bullets ?
They only killed specific bacteria and not the germs that caused most infections.
What was the treatment and remedies until the 1900s ?
Most people were still treated at home in traditional ways, using home remedies. These treatments still had a lot in common with treatments used in the middle ages and renaissance
What happened in the home remedies didn’t work ?
People brought ‘patent’ medicines, often known as a ‘cure-all’s’ because they claimed to cure nearly all illnesses
How did Thomas Holloway become a multi- millionaire ?
By selling pills (‘cure-all’s’) containing ginger, soap and purgatives. Addiction, dwarves and illnesses resulting in overdoses were common
