Louis Pasteur

Pasteur proved that germs cause disease in 1861. This was a massive breakthrough which eventually led to vaccinations and treatments, although these took time. Pasteur was an industrial chemist. He discovered that beer was going bad because of the germs in it and that if he heated the beer, the germs would die. He carried out experiments to prove that germs cause decay and he proved that germs cause disease in silk worms.

What he did

Pasteur was an industrial chemist. He discovered that beer was going bad because of the germs in it and that if he heated the beer, the germs would die. He carried out experiments to prove that germs cause decay and he proved that germs cause disease in silk worms.

Consequences:

Germ Theory affected every area of medicine. It eventually led to:

• Vaccinations

• Antiseptic Surgery

• Better Public Health & cleaner hospitals

• Treatments (although these took time)

• Changes to the training of doctors

Robert Koch

Robert Koch was a German scientist who proved that germs cause disease in humans. He identified the particular bacterium that causes anthrax. He did this by injecting 20 generations of mice with the same germ and extracting it each time. This gave other doctors a method to use to discover other bacteria.

Pasteur and Koch went on to develop new vaccinations, for example for tuberculosis.

Factors that helped Pasteur and Koch

Technology - a powerful microscope was invented in the 1820s which enabled scientists to study bacteria;
Individual genius - Pasteur and Koch were both methodical and determined;
Government funding - both Pasteur and Koch had well-funded research teams;
War - rivalry between Prussia (Germany) and France led to government funding;
Teamwork - individuals now needed a whole team to help them.

GCSE Health and the People AQA

Pasteur and Germ Theory