Bullet Point Biographies – Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

April 27, 2020

As terrible as the COVID-19 we are living through now, it might have been much worse if not for the medical science and microbiology in particular. One of the greatest contributions to that field is made by the French scientist of the 19th century – Louis Pasteur. That great, in fact, as he is now regarded as a father of microbiology.

The world was much different at a time when he lived. Communicable diseases were rampant and unexplainable, killing millions of people in many countries, in a short period. People and doctors didn’t understand the cause of these diseases. We are lucky that we are living today. As WHO reported in 2018, immunization now prevents the death of an estimated 2-3 million each year and would be even more, if vaccines would be available for all.

Pasteur’s legacy continues to work nowadays. “Institut Pasteur” in Paris – a private, non-profit foundation – exists for over 125 years. With a staff of 2,700 people in 70 countries, it has “devoted itself to the prevention and treatment of the disease through research, teaching, and public health initiatives”. Some of the Institute’s achievements were the isolating HIV virus in 1983 and contributing to the treatment of numerous diseases, such as tetanus, tuberculosis, yellow fever, diphtheria, rubella, measles, mumps, and others.

Here is a short (bullet point) biography of this remarkable scientist – Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895):

Significant Achievements:

  • Modern germ theory explaining the role microorganisms play in diseases. He showed that the invisibly small organisms are causing multiple illnesses, which can be prevented and treated. Also, he disproved the theory that microbial life appears spontaneously from inanimate objects – the concept that held true since Aristotle’s time.
  • Inventing technique for pasteurization of milk and wine. Through his experiments, he discovered that heating milk to a certain temperature (around 60 degree Celsius) would abolish dangerous microbes and add to the longevity of the milk. A similar process is used in modern days for other foods, including some beer and wine.
  • Developing first vaccines against rabbles and anthrax. One of the Pasteur’s crown achievements – the vaccination process – came later in life, and by accident. When investigating the disease of chicken cholera that affected livestock at a time, he accidentally discovered the effect of vaccination. He observed that the chickens that were injected with the “aged”, “expired” cholera bacteria (because his assistant forgot to do it in time) seem to become immune to the disease when subsequently injected with the live bacteria later. The “aged” bacteria apparently lost the strength but was still able to prevent chickens from future infection. This technique of inoculation is the foundation in today’s vaccination practices. Later he went on producing successful human vaccines for anthrax and rabies.

Biographical Facts:

  • Louis was one of the five children of the Napoleonic War hero and patriot. Later he with his wife also have had five children with only two survived from the diseases.
  • Pasteur briefly ventured into the politics, being classified as extreme right and the defendant of the monarchy.
  • He was a skilled painter, discovering this early in his childhood. His pastel portraits were considered tasteful and realistic.
  • Beside microbiology, Pasteur was a recognized (and received a double doctorate degree) in chemistry and physics. He discovered a molecular symmetry in crystals that was crucial in microbiology and later in the mastery of DNA.
  • Having learned of the role microbes play in the diseases, Pasteur became the first person with “mysophobia” – fear of contamination and germs, who vowed to keep physical contact between people to a minimum and declining to shake hands with other people. He agitated doctors to clean instruments, hands, sponges, rugs before doing operations – not a typical practice at the time. His ideas were later further developed by Dr Joseph Lister – one of the great contributors to the cleaning agents.
  • Together with his co-worker, Pasteur developed and marketed one of the world’s first water filters, made out of porcelain tubes.
  • Pasteur had received US patent in 1873 for “Improvement in Brewing Beer and Ale”, which advocates the use of what now is known as pasteurization process.
  • Several controversies developed around Pasteur’s contribution to science and medicine, and his name was marred after the publication of his private journals in 1995. It became known that he sometimes violated “the standard conception of the scientific methods”, covering facts, misrepresenting information and “stealing” other’s ideas without credit.

Attributed quotes:

  • “The role of infinitely small in nature is infinitely great.”
  • “These three things – work, will, success – fill human existence. Will opens the door to success, both brilliant and happy. Work passes these doors, and at the end of the journey, success comes in to crown one’s efforts.”
  • “A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in a world”.

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