HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY

The history of microbiology is divided in to 4 eras

THE DISCOVERY ERA:-

Before 17^thcentury study of microbiology was hampered by the lack of appropriate tools to observe microbes. The microbial world was unknown until the invention of microscopes, because micro-organisms are too small to be seen clearly by the naked eyes.

The principle of telescope and microscope was accidentally discovered by Zacharias jansen in 1609.

ROBERT HOOKE (1635-1703): English scientist, was the first to use a simple lens to observe the smallest unit of tissues he called “cells”. He examined the slices of cork from the bark of an oak tree. He observed that cork was made of tiny boxes that he referred to as cells.

ANTOINE VAN LEEUWENHOEK (1632-1723): He was the first to observe & describe the shape of human red blood cells as well as the little agent of disease.

He was the first person to observe and accurately describe live microorganisms (bacteria and protozoa) called ‘animalcules’ (little animals) in 1676. He took scurf from the root of decayed tooth & mixed it with clean rain water & saw the mobility in animals.

Actually he was a Dutch linen merchant but spent much of his spare time constructing simple microscopes composed of double convex lenses held between two silver plates. He constructed over 250 small powerful microscopes that could magnify around 50-300 times.

Leeuwenhoek was the first person to produce precise and correct descriptions of bacteria and protozoa using a microscope he made himself. Because of this extraordinary contribution to microbiology, he is considered as the “Father of microbiology” and also considered to be the father of bacteriology and protozoology.

TRANSITION ERA:-

SPONTANEOUS GENERATION V/S BIO-GENESIS:-

When microorganisms were known to exist, most scientists believed that such simple life forms could surely arise through spontaneous generation. i.e. That living organism could arise from non living matter (mud and lakes or anywhere with sufficient nutrients).

E.g. Maggots comes from rotting meat

Ants comes from honey

Microbes comes from spoiled broth.

[Theory of bio-genesis:- Belief that living cells can only arise from other living cells.]

The main aspects were to solve the controversy over spontaneous generation which includes experimentations mainly of Francesco Redi, John Needham, Lazzaro Spallanzani.

FRANCESCO REDI (1626-1697): The ancient belief in spontaneous generation was first of all challenged by Redi, an Italian physician, who carried out a series of experiments on decaying meat and its ability to produce maggots spontaneously. He showed that maggots would not arise from decaying meat, when it is covered.

JOHN NEEDHAM (1713-1781): He was probably the greatest supporter of the theory of spontaneous generation. He proposed that tiny organisms the animalcules arose spontaneously on his mutton gravy. He covered the flasks with cork as done by Redi and even heated some flasks. Still the microbes appeared on mutton broth.

LAZZARO SPALLAZANI (1729-1799): Lazzaro Spallazani, an Italian priest - boiled beef broth for an hour, sealed the flasks and observed no appearance of microorganisms and disproved the theory of spontaneous generation and proposed the theory of biogenesis.

He said that every form of life takes its origin from their parents, germ cells or seeds. This theory of bio-genesis was later proved and supported by Louis Pasteur.

CLICK BELOW TOPIC TO READ

1. INTRODUCTION OF MICROBIOLOGY

2. BRANCHES OF MICROBIOLOGY

3. SCOPE OF MICROBIOLOGY

4. HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY {PART 1}

5. HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY {PART 2}

6. HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY {PART 3}

7. PROKARYOTES VS EUKARYOTES DIFFERENCES

8. MORPHOLOGY OF BACTERIA

9. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF BACTERIA

1. NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF BACTERIA

1. RAW MATERIAL USED FOR CULTURE MEDIA