You would find it difficult to live without the aid of microbes. For example,
living inside your intestines are colonies of microorganisms. Just this thought is
enough to make your skin crawl. As frightful as this thought might be, however,
these microbes actually assist your body in digesting food. That is, you might
have difficulty digesting some foods if these microbes did not exist.
Microbes in your intestines are beneficial to you as long as they remain
in your intestines. However, you’ll become very ill should they decide to
wander into other parts of your body. Don’t become too concerned—these
microbes tend to stay at home unless your intestines are ruptured as a result
of trauma.
By the end of this book you’ll learn about the different types of microbes,
how to identify them by using a microscope, and how to cultivate colonies
of microbes.A Look Inside
Microbiology can be challenging to learn unless you follow the step-by-step
approach that is used in Microbiology Demystified.Topics are presented in an
order in which many students like to learn them—starting with basic compo-
nents and then gradually moving on to those that are more complex.
Each chapter follows a time-tested formula that explains topics in an easy-
to-read style. You can then compare your knowledge with what you’re ex-
pected to know by taking chapter tests and the final exam. There is little room
for you to go adrift.CHAPTER 1: THE WORLD OF THE MICROORGANISM
You’ll begin your venture into the microscopic world of microbes by learning
the fundamentals. These are the terms and concepts that all students need to
understand before they can embark on more advanced topics, such as cultivat-
ing their own microbes.
In this chapter, you will be introduced to the science of microbiology with a
look back in time to a period when little was known about microbes except that
some of them could kill people. You’ll also learn about the critical accomplish-
ments made in microbiology that enable scientists to understand and develop
cures for disease.xiv INTRODUCTION
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