Читать книгу The Fundamentals of Bacteriology - Charles Bradfield Morrey - Страница 4

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Bacteriology as a science is a development of the latter half of the nineteenth century. It may be said to have begun in the decade between 1870 and 1880, due largely to the wide circulation given to Koch’s work in proving that Bacillus anthracis is the cause of Anthrax in 1876, in devising new culture methods and in demonstrating that wound infections are due to microörganisms, 1878. Associated with this work were the great improvements in the microscope by Abbé and the introduction of anilin dyes for staining bacteria by Weigert. These results attracted workers throughout the world to the “new science.” Nevertheless, this work of Koch’s was preceded by numerous observations and experiments which led up to it. Certainly the most important discoveries immediately responsible were those of Pasteur. He must be considered as the greatest of the pioneer bacteriologists since he worked in all fields of the subject. Some of the antecedent work was done in attempting to disprove the old “spontaneous generation” theory as to the origin of organisms; some in searching for the causes of disease and some in the study of fermentation and putrefaction.