Louis Pasteur
1822–1895
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Pasteur was born in Dole, France in 1822. After extensive study at the École Normale Supérieure, he began researching the effects of polarized light on chemical compounds. He later went on to study the process of fermentation, where he came to the realization that the development of bacteria in liquids was brought about by microorganisms, which were not produced by the liquids themselves but came from the outside world. By heating drinks such as milk, beer, and wine, Pasteur was able to rid them of bacteria and keep them from spoiling quickly and causing disease. His work led him to later be called the father of germ theory, though he was not the first to create this theory. He also did work with anaerobic microorganisms—those that can develop without oxygen—in what is called the Pasteur Effect.
Louis Pasteur later went on to create the first vaccine for rabies as well as for anthrax, a disease that affected cattle. He won the Leeuwenhoek medal in 1895 shortly before his death from complications following a series of strokes. He is still greatly remembered in the scientific community for his extensive work in disease prevention.
Key events during the life of Louis Pasteur:
| Born in Dole, France | |
| Became professor of chemistry the University of Strasbourg, married the daughter of the college's rector | |
| Became director of scientific studies at the École Normale Supérieure | |
| Completed the first successful test of pasteurization | |
| Created a vaccine for anthrax | |
| Pasteur's rabies vaccine was tested on a young boy, and when the boy was found healthy the vaccine was deemed a success | |
| Died due to complications after a series of strokes |
Other Resources
| The Discovery of Microbes in | The Wonders of Scientific Discovery by Charles R. Gibson |
| Some Humane Discoveries in | The Wonders of Scientific Discovery by Charles R. Gibson |
| Louis Pasteur in | Story Lives of Great Scientists by F. J. Rowbotham |
Image Links | ||
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Louis Pasteur in Story Lives of Great Scientists |
 Sent to school at Paris in Story Lives of Great Scientists |
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| Claude Bernard | French physiologist. One of the first to suggest 'blind experiments', homeostasis |
| Thomas Huxley | Strong proponent of Darwinism, and naturalist philosophy. His own expertise was comparative anatomy. |
| Proposed the theory of evolution of species. Wrote The Descent of Man. | |
| James Clerk Maxwell | Developed laws defining the behavior of electricity and magnetism. |