The role of Pasteur in medicine - 1861 Flashcards
Who was Pasteur?
Louis Pasteur was French scientist who discovered germs and said that germs cause disease and infection, not miasma. He published his Germ Theory in 1861.
What were the principles in his Germ Theory?
1) The air contains living microorganisms.
2 Microbes in the air cause decay.
3) Microbes are not evenly distributed in the air.
4) Microbes can be killed by heating them.
How did he make this discovery?
Using a microscope, he discovered microorganisms growing in the liquid. He realised that sterilising water, and keeping it in a sealed flask, prevented microorganisms from entering it. If the sterilised water was kept in an open flask, the microbes would breed again.
How did he link germs to disease?
In 1865, Pasteur was asked to investigate a problem in the silk industry. He discovered that silkworms were dying from microorganisms and then made the link between germs and disease.
What was the impact of Pasteur’s Germ Theory?
1) It disproved the belief that disease was created by spontaneous generation.
2) In the later years, Robert Koch discovered that different bacteria cause different diseases.
3) It led to an understanding of why infection occurred in surgery.
4) It led to Lister’s use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic in surgery.
How did Pasteur discover a vaccine for chicken cholera?
The chicken cholera vaccine was discovered by chance in 1879. A mistake by Pasteur’s assistant led to the realisation that the germ was weakened when exposed to air. Injecting the weakened germ into chickens stopped them from catching the disease.
How did Pasteur help the development of vaccines?
1) In 1881, Pasteur’s team produced a weakened strain of anthrax that would prevent the disease in sheep.
2) In 1885, Pasteur successfully cured a boy from rabies by using a vaccine for the disease he had developed.
