The Story of Microbiology Flashcards
Fracastoro
recognised three forms of transmission: direct contact, through inanimate objects and via the air
Janssens
Father and son team, invented the compound microscope (more than one lens). Eyeglass makers who placed multiple lenses in a tube
Leeuwenhoek
Simple microscope. Fabric merchant, invented to inspect thread. Began to examine organisms in water and looked at an infected sperm sample. Identified sperm in semen
First published description of the condom
1594, linen cloth to protect against syphilis
What triggered improvements in condoms
WW1, huge amount of disease spread due to the rates of prostitution among soldiers
Causes of inaccuracies in our knowledge of sex
The technology needed to be available (we used an MRI to visualise it). It had to be socially acceptable to perform the research, journals had to be willing to publish the information and volunteers had to be found
false signal pregnancies
Kurzrok. Observed that rabbits injected with progesterone after intercourse would not release an egg as the body believed it to be pregnant
Social activists behind the pill
Margaret Sanger and Katharine McCormick
Sanger background
Mother died at 50, had 5 children and suffered 7 miscarriages. Blamed her father
McCormick background
Affluent region near New York.
First birth control clinic in the states
Sanger and others. 1916. Over 100 came, offered in several languages and offered a solution to those who could not afford in any capacity to continue to have children. Arrested after 10 days
McCormick and Sanger
McCormick offered Sanger financial support following the first clinic. Worked with scientist Pincus. The first medicine developed for purely social reasons and was not funded by any government body
Electron Microscope
Used a beam of electrons to overcome the barrier of high resolution imposed by limitations of using visible light.
Scanning electron microscope
Can be used on thicker specimens than the electron microscope alone. Gives a three dimensional image
