Microbiology Demystified

(^18) CHAPTER 1 The World of the Microorganism
Year Scientist Contribution
1850s Mathias Schleiden, Developed cell theory.
Theodore Schwann,
Rudolf Virchow
1847 Ignaz Semmelweis Reported a dramatic decline in childbirth fever after
physicians used antiseptic techniques when deliver-
ing babies.
1864 Louis Pasteur Discovered that microorganisms were everywhere,
living on organisms and in nonliving things such as air.
His work led to improved sterilization techniques called
pasteurization. One of the founders of bacteriology.
1867 Joseph Lister Reduced infections after surgery by spraying car-
bolic acid over the patient before bandaging the
wound. This was the first surgical antiseptic.
1876 Robert Koch Discovered how microorganisms spread contagious
diseases by studying anthrax. Developed the
Germ Theory. Developed techniques for cultivating
microorganisms.
1870s John Tyndall, Discovered that some microorganisms are resistant to
Ferdinand Cohn certain sterilization techniques. One of the founders
of bacteriology.
1884 Elie Metchnikoff Discovered that white blood cells (leukocytes)
engulf and digest microorganisms that invade the
body. Coined the word phagocytes. Founded the
branch of science called immunology.
1887 Richard Petri Developed the technique of placing agar into a spe-
cially designed dish to grow microorganisms, which
was later called the Petri dish.
1890 Paul Ehrlich Developed the first drug to fight disease-causing
microorganisms that had already entered the body.
1928 Alexander Fleming Discovered Penicillium notatum,the fungus that
kills staphylococcus aureus,a microorganism that is
a leading cause of infection.
Table 1-2. Scientists and Their Contributions (Continued)