Sub-Microscopic Organisms Were the Root Cause of Disease - Essay Example

Medical Sociology The bacteriological revolution, which occurred in the 19th century, is considered as one of the biggest achievements in medicine, since time immemorial. It concluded that sub-microscopic organisms were the root cause of disease. This discovery came into existence in Europe, way before the Americans employed it. It was formally initiated by a French chemist, Louis Pasteur, who observed the fermentation of wine, beer, bread and cheese, and developed an understanding of the role, as he observed, of microscopic organisms in the process. This theory by Pasteur is popularly known as the germ theory. Robert Koch, a German physician, continued work related to the bacteriological revolution and discovered, along with others, the reasons for specific diseases by linking them with specific bacteria as identified by their different types. As a result, medical science reached new heights as hospitals became safe havens for treatment for a multitude of diseases. The mortality rates of Europe declined primarily because of the bacteriological revolution-led improvement in medical treatment. The bacteriological revolution took place over many years and in phases. The first one began, roughly, around 1835 and lasted till 1875 in Berlin by Theodor Schwann, who experimented in the laboratory to observe the phenomenon that alcoholic fermentation took place in unheated air i.e. in the presence of microscopic organisms. Louis Pasteur took forward Theodor Schwann’s work, and conducted the fermentation of wine, bread, cheese, etc, twenty years later. Unlike others, Pasteur experimented in an artificial environment which was controllable, and so, each micro organism could be studied in isolation. After immense research, training students and publishing numerous papers and books on the subject, Pasteur established his own school of research. Pasteur’s methods were considered very difficult and thus, were not adopted by many people (Mendelsohn, 2010). Louis Pasteur was teaching at a university when he was persuaded by a wine company to find out why some wine becomes sour in the process of being made. He discovered, during his research, that germs in the air which could be seen under the microscope are behind this phenomenon. Consequently, the process of pasteurization came into being whereby, germs are killed by boiling the liquid and then cooling it—in this case, the liquid was wine. From this process, Pasteur went further to prove that germs are present in the air and so, could be stopped from getting into the liquid. This formed the basis of his germs theory, after conducting several experiments, which later helped in the treatment of many diseases including chicken cholera, anthrax, rabies and diphtheria. Conversely, ideas like boiling surgical instruments, before using them in operations, were not accepted during his time, and largely ignored by surgeons till a discovery by Robert Koch, that led to the development of the aseptic surgery (Andrew, 2010). Roughly during 1875 and 1890, the second phase of the bacteriological revolution started. This phase is linked primarily with Robert Koch whose work was spread all around the globe, unlike the work of his predecessors (Mendelsohn, 2010). Other than Louis Pasteur, no man has done as much work as Robert Koch in understanding microbes and their link with disease. Apart from his contributions in the discovery of micro organisms that lead to cholera, tuberculosis, anthrax etc., Koch developed a large number of techniques—staining processes, microphotography, and others—that are used in the study of bacteria in modern times (Strick, 1998). Robert Koch found cures for cholera and tuberculosis, the most dangerous and fatal diseases of that era. Nobody before Koch could succeed in developing a remedy for cholera which eventually, came to be known as king cholera. White death or tuberculosis was also a deadly disease in the 19th century, in which victims vomited a white substance. Robert Koch did careful research and closely observed micro organisms under the microscope using microphotography and staining procedures. This led Koch to make the numerous discoveries in the field of bacteriology (Andrew, 2010). Microbiology, owing to its wide range of application—from the quality of wine to the origin of life— is of high importance for not only professionals but also for the public. Not only medicine, but hygiene was also given importance by bacteriology. Diseases could be defined, detected and cured in the light of sound medical knowledge. Laboratories were made the centre of daily health practices for the public and means of routine diagnosis resultantly involved machines. A healthy and close contact of researchers with the government and businesses resulted in growth of medical science. Also, the establishment of research institutions by Pasteur and Koch, among others, resulted in large, research-based studies on national level with goals involving industry, business, the state and public (Mendelsohn, 2010). Numerous differences in the French and German approaches to micro organisms existed. In more specific terms, Robert Koch did not agree on many significant issues during the bacteriological revolution with Louis Pasteur, partly due to negativity resulting from the Franco-German war. The advancement in microbiology was not only a product of hard work by the two gentlemen, but also a result of intense competition between them. Robert Koch argued that his French rival’s approach was of an ecological nature where the role of micro organisms was limited to solving domestic agricultural problems only, whilst Koch’s methods had wider application and use. Also, Koch strongly believed in monomorphism, which says microbes exist in distinct species whilst Pasteur was a follower of the view — pleomorphism — that microbes, under different environmental settings, may change their type. After the Franco-German war, flow of information between the medical associations in France and Germany came to a halt as obsessive competition erupted due to nationalism. Patriotism constantly clashed with science which also hampered advancement in medical science at many points in history (Strick, 1998). To conclude, the bacteriological revolution was a giant leap in the field of bacteriology and has contributed greatly towards medicine. As a result of the hard work by many, especially Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, remedies for several diseases and discovery of modern day techniques using microscopic organisms were identified. The bacterial revolution can be traced back to the alcoholic fermentation experiment conducted by Theodor Schwann in Berlin which, eventually, led Pasteur to start his work on bacteriology that set the ball rolling for successors too. Pasteur and Koch were rivals with differing opinions, scope and methods of study. Both have major contributions to their credit, however, not all of their views were accepted. The two were surrounded by controversies because of their opposing views and nationalistic differences but it is their rivalry and competitiveness that resulted in the discovery of vaccines and modern day techniques that brought a paradigm shift in medicine. References Andrew. (2010) Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch Booklet. Retrieved 13 Dec, 2010, from http://www.slideshare.net/wal147/louis-pasteurand-robert-koch-booklet Mendelsohn, A. (2010). Bacteriology and Microbiology: Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact, the History of Bacteriology, the Pasteurization of France. Retrieved 13 Dec, 2010, from http://science.jrank.org/pages/48865/bacteriology-microbiology.html Strick, J. (1998). Preface to Brock’s Robert Koch: A Life in Medicine and Bacteriology. Retrieved 13 Dec, 2010, from http://202.114.65.51/fzjx/wsw/newindex/wswfzjs/pdf/koch.pdf Read More