MC3 Microbiology & parasitology
PRELIMS History of Microbiology
HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY
Before 17th century, study of microbiology was
hampered by the lack of appropriate tools to
observe microbes.
Robert Hooke
- 1665: built a
compound light
microscope and
used it to observe
thin slices of cork
- “cell” = little
boxes
- He heralded the John Needham
cell theory “all - 1745: a proponent of spontaneous generation:
living things microorganisms could arise from heated
are made up of nutrient broth
cells” - claimed that microbes developed
spontaneously from the fluids
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
- 1673: was the
first person to
observe live
microorganisms
which he called
“animalcules”
(bacteria,
protozoa), using
single lens
microscopes that he
designed. - 1765: Lazarro Spalanzani, Against
- First Microbiologist spontaneous generation, repeated Needham’s
- Father of Microbiology experiment and suggested that
- Father of Bacteriology microorganisms from the air probably entered
- Father of Protozoology Needham’s solutions after they were boiled
- He discovered the o Spallanzani showed that nutrient fluids
previously “invisible” world of heated after being sealed in a flask did
microorganisms, that the scientific community not develop microbial growth
of the time became interested in the origins of
these tiny living things.
Origin of Microbes: Spontaneous Generation
Living organisms can arise from non-living
matter
Myths
Snakes from horse hairs in stagnant water
Mice from grain and cheese wrapped in a
sweater - Needham then replied by claiming the “vital
Maggots from rotting meat force” necessary for spontaneous generation
Fleas from hair had been destroyed by the heat and was kept
Flies from fresh and rotting fruit out of the flasks by the seals
Mosquitoes from stagnant pond water
Eels from slimy mud at the bottom of the ocean Rudolf Virchow
Locusts from green leaves - challenged the case for spontaneous
Raccoons from hollow tree trunks generation with the concept of biogenesis
Termites are generated from rotting wood - Theory of Biogenesis: living cells arise
only from preexisting living cells
Franceso Redi - could offer no scientific proof so arguments
- 1668: opposed Spontaneous generation about spontaneous generation continued until
- demonstrated that maggots appear on 1861
decaying meat only after flies are able to lay Louis Pasteur
eggs on the meat - 1861: settled the debate about spontaneous
generation and theory of biogenesis
- demonstrated that microorganisms in the
environment were responsible for microbial
growth in nutrient broth. (but the air itself does
not create microbes)
Hannah Adan 1
, MC3 Microbiology & parasitology
PRELIMS History of Microbiology
- Designed swan neck flasks that allowed air in, Pebrine disease:
but trapped microbes in neck. microsporidian parasites
- Developed aseptic technique: Flacherie disease
o Practices that prevent contamination o Vaccine: Developed a vaccine for
by unwanted microorganisms. rabies from dried spinal cords of
infected rabbits.
GOLDEN AGE OF MICROBIOLOGY
- 1857 to 1914
Germ Theory of Disease
- Microorganisms cause diseases.
- Before, most people believed diseases were
caused by divine punishment, poisonous
vapors, curses, witchcraft, etc.
Agostino Bassi
- 1835: Found that a fungus was responsible for
a silkworm disease
- Bassi had proved that another silkworm
disease was caused by a fungus
Pasteur
- 1865: Found that a protozoa can cause pebrine
(silkworm disease).
- he developed a method for recognizing afflicted
silkworm moths
Ignaz Semmelweis
- 1840s: Demonstrated that childbirth fever
(puerperal fever) was transmitted from one
patient to another, by physicians who didn’t
disinfect their hands.
- Chlorinated lime solution
- “Savior of Mothers”
- He Noticed death rates
higher in maternity
NOTE wards staffed by
No turbidity without contamination medical students than
in those attended by
- Education: Ecole Normale Superiure Dijon midwives.
Lycee PhD- chemistry - Death rates decreased
- Work Experiences: in summer.
o Professor of physics – Dijon Lycee - Oliver Wendell
o Professor of chemistry – Strasburg Holmes (US) Believed
University death following childbirth often caused by the
o Dean, Faculty of Life Science in Lille material on hands of midwives or attending
Administrator physicians.
o Director of Scientific Studies in Ecole Streptococcal Infections
Normal Superior - Caused by
- Awards Streptococcus
o Leewenhoek Medal (1895) pyogenes
o Grand Croix of the Legion of Honor - Streptococcus is a Gram
positive cocci-shaped
- Contributions to microbiology:
genus of bacteria, in the
o Fermentation: conversion of
phylum Firmicutes,
carbohydrates into alcohols or acids
which produce toxins
under anaerobic conditions.
that contributes to its
Pasteur found that yeasts were
pathogenesis.
responsible for converting
- Some diseases
sugar into alcohol in the
caused by this bacterium include:
absence of air.
o Puerperal fever
Saccharomyces cerevisae –
o Strep Throat
brewer’s yeast; baker’s yeast
Souring and spoilage were o Streptococcal Pneumonia
caused by bacterial o Scarlet fever
contamination of beverages o Necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating
o Pasteurization: Developed a process bacteria)
in which liquids are heated (at 65oC) to
kill most bacteria responsible for Joseph Lister
spoilage. - Introduced the use of
o Disease Causes: Identified three disinfectant to clean surgical
different microbes that caused wounds in order to control
silkworm diseases. infections in human.
o Carbolic acid
(Phenol)
Hannah Adan 2
PRELIMS History of Microbiology
HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY
Before 17th century, study of microbiology was
hampered by the lack of appropriate tools to
observe microbes.
Robert Hooke
- 1665: built a
compound light
microscope and
used it to observe
thin slices of cork
- “cell” = little
boxes
- He heralded the John Needham
cell theory “all - 1745: a proponent of spontaneous generation:
living things microorganisms could arise from heated
are made up of nutrient broth
cells” - claimed that microbes developed
spontaneously from the fluids
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
- 1673: was the
first person to
observe live
microorganisms
which he called
“animalcules”
(bacteria,
protozoa), using
single lens
microscopes that he
designed. - 1765: Lazarro Spalanzani, Against
- First Microbiologist spontaneous generation, repeated Needham’s
- Father of Microbiology experiment and suggested that
- Father of Bacteriology microorganisms from the air probably entered
- Father of Protozoology Needham’s solutions after they were boiled
- He discovered the o Spallanzani showed that nutrient fluids
previously “invisible” world of heated after being sealed in a flask did
microorganisms, that the scientific community not develop microbial growth
of the time became interested in the origins of
these tiny living things.
Origin of Microbes: Spontaneous Generation
Living organisms can arise from non-living
matter
Myths
Snakes from horse hairs in stagnant water
Mice from grain and cheese wrapped in a
sweater - Needham then replied by claiming the “vital
Maggots from rotting meat force” necessary for spontaneous generation
Fleas from hair had been destroyed by the heat and was kept
Flies from fresh and rotting fruit out of the flasks by the seals
Mosquitoes from stagnant pond water
Eels from slimy mud at the bottom of the ocean Rudolf Virchow
Locusts from green leaves - challenged the case for spontaneous
Raccoons from hollow tree trunks generation with the concept of biogenesis
Termites are generated from rotting wood - Theory of Biogenesis: living cells arise
only from preexisting living cells
Franceso Redi - could offer no scientific proof so arguments
- 1668: opposed Spontaneous generation about spontaneous generation continued until
- demonstrated that maggots appear on 1861
decaying meat only after flies are able to lay Louis Pasteur
eggs on the meat - 1861: settled the debate about spontaneous
generation and theory of biogenesis
- demonstrated that microorganisms in the
environment were responsible for microbial
growth in nutrient broth. (but the air itself does
not create microbes)
Hannah Adan 1
, MC3 Microbiology & parasitology
PRELIMS History of Microbiology
- Designed swan neck flasks that allowed air in, Pebrine disease:
but trapped microbes in neck. microsporidian parasites
- Developed aseptic technique: Flacherie disease
o Practices that prevent contamination o Vaccine: Developed a vaccine for
by unwanted microorganisms. rabies from dried spinal cords of
infected rabbits.
GOLDEN AGE OF MICROBIOLOGY
- 1857 to 1914
Germ Theory of Disease
- Microorganisms cause diseases.
- Before, most people believed diseases were
caused by divine punishment, poisonous
vapors, curses, witchcraft, etc.
Agostino Bassi
- 1835: Found that a fungus was responsible for
a silkworm disease
- Bassi had proved that another silkworm
disease was caused by a fungus
Pasteur
- 1865: Found that a protozoa can cause pebrine
(silkworm disease).
- he developed a method for recognizing afflicted
silkworm moths
Ignaz Semmelweis
- 1840s: Demonstrated that childbirth fever
(puerperal fever) was transmitted from one
patient to another, by physicians who didn’t
disinfect their hands.
- Chlorinated lime solution
- “Savior of Mothers”
- He Noticed death rates
higher in maternity
NOTE wards staffed by
No turbidity without contamination medical students than
in those attended by
- Education: Ecole Normale Superiure Dijon midwives.
Lycee PhD- chemistry - Death rates decreased
- Work Experiences: in summer.
o Professor of physics – Dijon Lycee - Oliver Wendell
o Professor of chemistry – Strasburg Holmes (US) Believed
University death following childbirth often caused by the
o Dean, Faculty of Life Science in Lille material on hands of midwives or attending
Administrator physicians.
o Director of Scientific Studies in Ecole Streptococcal Infections
Normal Superior - Caused by
- Awards Streptococcus
o Leewenhoek Medal (1895) pyogenes
o Grand Croix of the Legion of Honor - Streptococcus is a Gram
positive cocci-shaped
- Contributions to microbiology:
genus of bacteria, in the
o Fermentation: conversion of
phylum Firmicutes,
carbohydrates into alcohols or acids
which produce toxins
under anaerobic conditions.
that contributes to its
Pasteur found that yeasts were
pathogenesis.
responsible for converting
- Some diseases
sugar into alcohol in the
caused by this bacterium include:
absence of air.
o Puerperal fever
Saccharomyces cerevisae –
o Strep Throat
brewer’s yeast; baker’s yeast
Souring and spoilage were o Streptococcal Pneumonia
caused by bacterial o Scarlet fever
contamination of beverages o Necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating
o Pasteurization: Developed a process bacteria)
in which liquids are heated (at 65oC) to
kill most bacteria responsible for Joseph Lister
spoilage. - Introduced the use of
o Disease Causes: Identified three disinfectant to clean surgical
different microbes that caused wounds in order to control
silkworm diseases. infections in human.
o Carbolic acid
(Phenol)
Hannah Adan 2
