Overview
This lecture covers the life and scientific contributions of Louis Pasteur, focusing on his role in developing germ theory, vaccines, and refuting spontaneous generation.
Early Life and Education
- Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822.
- He demonstrated an interest in science from a young age and observed rabies in 1831.
- Pasteur completed his Bachelor of Arts in 1840 and Bachelor of Science in 1842.
- He earned his doctorate in philosophy in 1847, writing essays in physics and chemistry.
Scientific Discoveries and Challenges
- In 1854, Pasteur began studies on fermentation, showing its biological basis.
- By 1857, he further defined the biology of fermentation.
- In 1860–1862, Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation, showing microbes do not arise from nonliving matter.
- He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1862.
- Faced personal tragedies, including the deaths of his daughter (1859) and another family member (1866), and suffered a stroke in 1868.
Vaccine Development
- In 1877, Pasteur investigated anthrax, contributing to understanding the disease in animals.
- In 1879, he created the first laboratory-developed vaccine for chicken cholera by attenuating the bacteria.
- Pasteur discovered attenuation through accidental exposure of bacteria to oxygen, making them less deadly.
Rabies Research and Legacy
- Started studying rabies in 1880 and developed the first attenuated-virus rabies vaccine.
- In 1884, achieved rabies vaccine success with dogs.
- On July 6, 1885, the rabies vaccine was first used in a human subject.
- By 1886, 350 people had received the rabies vaccine with only one fatality, likely due to late administration.
- The Institut Pasteur was inaugurated in 1888 as a hub for scientific research.
- Louis Pasteur died on September 28, 1895.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Germ Theory — The idea that microorganisms cause infectious diseases.
- Spontaneous Generation — The disproved theory that life can arise from nonliving matter.
- Attenuation — Weakening a microorganism to make it safe for use in vaccines.
- Vaccine — A substance used to stimulate immunity against a specific disease.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Pasteur’s experiments on fermentation and spontaneous generation.
- Summarize the process of vaccine development as discovered by Pasteur.
- Learn key dates and achievements for potential test questions.