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The Nineteenth Century
Published in Scott M. Jackson, Skin Disease and the History of Dermatology, 2023
The two men most responsible for proving the germ theory of disease were Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) and Robert Koch (1843–1910). Pasteur was a French biologist and chemist who is also known for his work with the chemistry of crystals, fermentation, pasteurization, and the vaccination for rabies and anthrax. After heat sterilization of broth placed in swan-neck bottles, Pasteur proved that contamination from the air led to a microbial presence in the broth, thus disproving the theory of spontaneous generation that had endured for two millennia, which stated that decay, putrefaction, and fermentation—along with microbial organisms in the body—were spontaneously generated by the pneuma within organic substances.18 Pasteur's conclusion that contaminating germs—and not miasma—were a cause of disease was built on a foundation laid by four influential pioneers: the aforementioned Semmelweis; the Italian Agostino Bassi (1773–1856) who first identified (1835) a fungus that infects silkworms; the German physician Johann Schoënlein (1793–1864) who showed that tinea favosa (favus) was caused by Trichophyton schoenleinii (1839); and Miles J. Berkeley (1803–1889) who hypothesized (1846) that the fungus Phytophthora infestans was the cause of the Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849).19
Bioengineering and Ethics
Published in Howard Winet, Ethics for Bioengineering Scientists, 2021
There were many successful adaptations of 18th- and 19th-century scientific advances to the practice of medicine. Surgery and childbirth were made safer and endurable by antisepsis and anesthesia, with minimal side effects. Robert Koch (1843–1910) and Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) confirmed the germ theory of disease and used it to develop vaccines and sterilization treatments. Pasteur scientifically demonstrated the germ theory of disease by infecting lab animals with cultures isolated from carriers of the microorganisms. Koch formulated a procedure for scientifically demonstrating a causal relationship between a specific organism and a disease. The procedure, known as “Koch’s postulates” established a standard for pathology, and may be summarized as follows: (1) Show that the suspect organism is consistently present in diseased tissue in a characteristic state. (2) Isolate and grow the organism in laboratory cultures. (3) Experimentally induce the disease by injecting pure cultures of it in a subjects susceptible to it (Walker et al. 2006).
Developments of Health Care: A Brief History of Medicine
Published in P. Mereena Luke, K. R. Dhanya, Didier Rouxel, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Sabu Thomas, Advanced Studies in Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 2021
P. Mereena Luke, K. R. Dhanya, Tomy Muringayil Joseph, Józef T. Haponiuk, Didier Rouxel, S. Thomas
Pasture discovered aerobic and anaerobic organisms and initiate to think about the possibility of a causal relationship between germs and diseases. The germ theory facilitated the detection of actual microorganisms that causes several diseases. The great achievement of Pasteur was the discovery of a vaccine for rabies [46]. Pasteur developed a vaccine for rabies which was capable to be injected in the period after the dog bite and before the onset of symptoms. He showed how the diseases in both animals and people could be cured by vaccination. Pasteur’s work has been implemented as the germ theory of disease and put a conclusion to different speculations of sickness, such as the humoral theory [47].
The Texas Society of Pathologists: molded by the legacy of pathology and focused on excellence in medicine for 100 years and beyond
Published in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 2021
Pathology developed as a medical science along with physics, chemistry, anatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry, and microbiology in Europe after the Renaissance.10,11 In the 18th century, stalwarts, including Giovanni Battista Morgagni and Carl von Rokitansky, established the scientific investigation of causes of disease based on performance of numerous meticulous autopsies.10–14 In the mid-19th century, the next great advance in pathology was led by Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902). Virchow is the quintessence of the prepared mind succeeding by being at the right place (Germany) at the right time (improved light microscope).15 In 1858, Virchow established the scientific discipline of cellular pathology with his publication “Die Cellularpathologie in ihrer Begründung auf physiologische und pathologische Gewebenlehre.” The title, “Cellular pathology as based upon physiological and pathological histology,” captures the essence of cytopathology, surgical pathology, and autopsy pathology as practiced today. The 19th century saw other major developments of relevance to pathology. Claude Bernard advanced the field of physiology and established the importance of biological experimentation in medicine.16 Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch were instrumental in formulating the germ theory of disease and the science of microbiology. Élie Metchnikoff and Julius Cohnheim among others made important observations providing a foundation for cellular physiology and immunology.17,18
Masks, Politics, Culture and Health
Published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2020
But in the case of a pandemic such as COVID-19, why do some countries take to wearing masks and others do not? The reasons are many and include cultural, political and health-related concerns. Cultural reasons are cited for covering the face in many East Asian countries, specifically China, Korea and Japan. Yang (2014) relates that the underlying reason could be philosophical: All three countries have been broadly influenced by Taoism and the health precepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in which “qi”—breath and breathing—are seen as a central element in good health. So breathing is critical to maintain good qi in the body. Meanwhile, the intake of “feng,” or noxious wind, is considered the most potent and common of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s external causes of disease. The bottom line is that in East Asia, the predilection toward using face coverings to prevent exposure to bad air is something that predates the germ theory of disease, and extends into the very foundations of East Asian culture (Yang, 2014).
Intestinal luminal putrescine is produced by collective biosynthetic pathways of the commensal microbiome
Published in Gut Microbes, 2019
Atsuo Nakamura, Takushi Ooga, Mitsuharu Matsumoto
The intestinal microbiome, a complex community, metabolizes food components that are not digested by the host, and supplies nutrients, including vitamins and essential amino acids, that are not synthesised by the host.1–3 In addition to nutrients, intestinal bacteria produce biologically active substances such as short-chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids, and trimethylamine.4–6 Consequently, intestinal luminal metabolites produced by the intestinal microbiome are associated with the health of the host, and affect immune homeostasis,7 as well as the development of obesity,8 cardiovascular disease,5 autism spectrum disorder,9 and cancer.10 Indeed, the new germ theory states that commensal bacteria provide a core set of genes or biological functions.11 Notably, metagenomic analysis has revealed few differences in the functional gene composition of the microbiome, despite extensive differences in species diversity.12 Today, the intestinal microbiome is considered an important component of the digestive system, and is believed to possess metabolic functions.