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| Louis Pasteur Credit: The Science museum |
So I think on Louis Pasteur's birthday, it would be fitting celebrate his main achievements such as germ theory, vaccinations and pasteurisation.
Germ Theory (Sources)
Germ Theory is the idea that many diseases are caused by the existence and consequences of certain microbes (Micro-organisms) with the body. This theory wasn't all Louis Pasteur's work. Antoni van Leeuwenhoek pointed towards this concept when he was making the first microscope in the year 1677. He was surprised to see tiny organisms within the drop of water that the scientist was looking at. Antoni called these small organisms animalcules. Though made no correlation between disease. Other scientists later saw small micro-organisms (germs) within the blood when people were suffering diseases. Still no-one linked the two together. They just thought they were because of the disease. Not the cause of the problem.
It wasn't until the observations and actions of scientists such as Ignaz Semmelweiss (who I have written about before: Link on the name), Joseph Lister and John Snow. They helped to further the acceptance of the theory. Though the laboratory research of Louis Pasteur himself in the 1860's along with further work by Robert Koch that finally provided the scientific proof that germ theory was correct.
It was only by these people that we have life-saving treatments to infections and have the identifications of many disease causing micro-organisms.
Pasteurisation (Sources 1 and 2)
This is the process of heat-treating certain types of food and drinks to destroy the micro-organisms which live within. This allows the produce to have a longer shelf life before spoilage. Louis Pasteur showed that the fermentation of wine and beer could be prevented by heating the products to a temperature of 57C (135F). Hence the ironic name of pasteurisation!
Now-a-days, we use this process to kill the micro-organisms of milk. Milk needs a higher temperature of 63C (145F) for half an hour or 72C (162F) for 15seconds. This is due to there being a different micro-organism being present. In beer, it is yeast that we are killing. Whereas Milk has mycobacterium tuberculosis (Causes Tuberculosis).
Additional fact: UHT or Ultra high temperature milk is heated to 138-150C (280-302F) for only one second. This allows it to stay on the self without going in the fridge.
Vaccination (Source 1, 2 and 3)
Vaccination is the process of a person's immune system being stimulated by a weak microbe to make specific proteins called antibodies (the body's natural defence mechanism) to combat a future stronger infection. We vaccinate children/young people to prime their immune system before they have the chance to get the disease. This is because the first time experience to a fully functioning bacteria/other micro-organism can be very dangerous.
Louis Pasteur made the vaccine for two disease. One of these vaccines was the anthrax vaccine which evidence shows that he was making in the year 1881. Anthrax is a serious bacterial infection which affect basically anywhere from the skin, the lungs or the intestines. Normally, the disease starts on the skin as a painful spot known medically as a carbuncle. It spreads to the blood causing the fatal problems of blood poisoning (septicaemia if your a doctor), internal bleeding or in some cases meningitis (infection of the spinal cord). It has been used on occasions as a biological weapon due to the shockingly horrific capabilities that happen swiftly...
There are treatments such as arsenical (containing arsenic), antibiotics and anti-anthrax serum. But, they need to be given quickly after infection. A vaccine such as this one is far more important. It's better to be prepared than having the cure.
The other vaccine was for a viral (virus) infection called rabies which Louis Pasteur made in 1885. Rabies affects the central nervous system especially the brain and the spinal cord of mammals - even us! Though, the most likely way of a human catching the virus is from a scratch or bite of an infected animal. Louis Pasteur had to proof that this vaccine worked. Therefore, he agreed to administer a series of this, then prototype, vaccine to young child who had been bitten but was asymptomatic (had no symptoms). Meister didn't develop rabies. When another child had also had the same vaccine too, Louis Pasteur considered the vaccine to be a success.
What about vaccines made today? Do you think that they are made like this...?
No! Let me tell you this is not how vaccines develop now. It's a lot more stricter. For very good reasoning.
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