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Briefs history microbiology
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Microbiology is the study of organisms that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. These living organisms, known as microorganisms, are believed to be the cause of infectious diseases long before they were discovered. My interest in microorganisms stems from personal experience with the impacts they have on every aspect of human life. Microbiology is a crucial area of knowledge and study in life sciences, and research continues to aid us in understanding the world the around us.
This paper discusses the development and history of Microbiology and its impact on human health over time. This includes an examination of historical events that led to the development of techniques and procedures used for the handling of microorganisms, and
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Apfeldorf’s article “Uncovering a Tiny World” discusses Hooke’s book which is known for its microscopic illustrations of insects and microbes that Hooke had drawn as he viewed them under the microscope. His elaborate drawings of tiny objects and insects were the scientific evidence that supported his claims of the significant value of the microscope to science and the many ways it could be used. The book also contained a description of how to make a powerful microscope with a spherical lens, much like Leeuwenhoek’s glass pearls. Leeuwenhoek traveled to England that same year and is believed to have obtained a copy of Hooke’s book and …show more content…
The tools used by microbiologists are essential and advancements would not have been possible without the continued improvements of the microscope. In addition, the petri dish is another key factor and besides nature, it is the main source for cultured solid media that is viewed under the microscope. Additional tools include slides and the dyes that are used to determine changes in cells and microbes or pathogens that cause disease. Heat has also been identified as a major tool in killing deadly spores and the impacts of cold have identified the need for temperature controlled environments that kill viruses and prevent the decreased effect in medications. Heat and cold have both been identified as tools in treating various complications from
In this lab project, the microbiology students were given 2 unknown bacteria in a mixed broth each broth being numbered. The goal of this project is to determine the species of bacteria in the broth. They had to separate and isolate the bacteria from the mixed broth and ran numerous tests to identify the unknown bacteria. The significance of identifying an unknown bacteria is in a clinical setting. Determining the exact bacteria in order to prescribe the right treatment for the patient. This project is significant for a microbiology students because it gives necessary skills to them for future careers relating to clinical and research work.
A remarkable breakthrough in medicine occurred in the late 1800s through the work of Louis Pasteur. Pasteur's experiments showed that bacteria reproduce like other living things and travel from place to place. Using the results of his findings, he developed pasteurization, which is the process of heating liquids to kill bacteria and prevent fermentation. He also produced an anthrax vaccine as well as a way to weaken the rabies virus. After studying Pasteur's work, Joseph Lister developed antisepsis, which is the process of killing disease-causing germs. In 1865 before an operation, he cleansed a leg wound first with carbolic acid, and performed the surgery with sterilized (by heat) instruments. The wound healed, and the patient survived. Prior to surgery, the patient would've needed an amputation. However, by incorporating these antiseptic procedures in all of his surgeries, he decreased postoperative deaths. The use of antiseptics eventually helped reduce bacterial infection not only in surgery but also in childbirth and in the treatment of battle wounds. Another man that made discoveries that reinforced those of Pasteur's was Robert Koch. Robert Koch isolated the germ that causes tuberculosis, identified the germ responsible for Asiatic cholera, and developed sanitary measures to prevent disease. (1)
Medical science had not yet discovered the importance of antiseptics in preventing infection. Water was contaminated and soldiers sometimes ate unripened or spoiled food. There weren’t always clean rags available to clean wounds. Because of frequent shortages of water, surgeons often went days without washing their hands or instruments. So now germs were passing from patient to patient.
Linton, Alan. 1982. Microbes, Man and Animals: The Natural History of Microbial Interactions. John Wiley & Sons. 342pp
There are numerous types of bacteria that can be found in every environment. Each bacterium has different morphology which includes shape, texture and pigment production. These bacteria also have different food requirements which are important in being able to identify a microorganism. Microorganisms are a diverse group containing all bacteria a single cell prokaryotic organism that is found in every type of environment, archea single cell microorganism that lacks nuclei and almost all microorganisms are protozoa a unicellular eukaryotic organism. By identifying the causative agent of a bacterium within an individual, an antibiotic can be developed to prevent health issues. Microorganisms are also used to make certain food products for human consumption. An example of this would be the production of yogurt. It has probiotics that help with digestive abnormalities amongst other things. Probiotics are microorganisms that are consumed to provide health benefits in the body. Probiotics work by replacing the disturbed microbe with ones that are useful to digest. With the methods that wer...
Over the years humans have tried every possibility to overcome the health problems, spread of epidemics and infections, disease control and have worked towards a healthy society free of disease and health problems. They have succeeded to a great extent. The book “Good germs, bad germs” describes that though the life expectancy is now far more as it was in previous eras. Epidemic problems and infectious diseases are now getting lesser and lesser and humans are being treated successfully. The hygienic conditions have also been improved so as to ensure least growth of microbes, germs, parasites and bacteria. Antibiotics have been invented to address diseases and infections caused by bacteria and viruses. With all these substantial efforts the biologists, physicians and scientists have triggered another epidemic which is even more severe. They have killed those microbes and bacterial species which were human friendly and as a result of either their disruption or mutation, pathogenic bacteria have even become more active and resistant to treatments. This has led to increased ineffectiveness of antibiotic drugs, low immunity and various infections and inflammatory diseases. The chlorinated water for drinking and food processing along with excessive hygienic conditions indicates our fight against these bacteria and germs. Further, these antibiotics are even given to the livestock which becomes our food and as result many of their resistant germs end up in our digestive tract and other organs. Thus, the war against microbes through excessive cleanliness and use of antibiotics has resulted in antibiotic resistance among humans, which has become one of the prominent problems of medical science
What are microorganisms? They are organisms that you have to view with a microscope. The three that I will be discussing are bacteria, viruses, and prions. Of the three, a bacterium is the only one that can be helpful to us in many situations, and they are also the most diverse organism on the earth. The structure, reproduction, and the diseases bacteria, viruses, and prion cause are all different. Let’s begin to compare these microorganisms.
Microbiologist they study microorganisms (microbes) in order to understand how they affect our lives and how we can exploit them. They focus on the biology of microorganisms at both the molecular and cellular level, as well as their ecology, including viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae and protozoa.they make an Average Microbiologist Yearly Salary in the United States. Microbiologists earn a median salary of$67,550 per year. Salaries typically start from $38,810 and go up to $125,200.A career as a microbiologist usually requires an education beyond the high school level. Some microbiologists practice with two-year associate degrees in a scientific field such as chemistry or biology, but most have at least a four-year bachelor's degree
Microorganisms play an important role in our life: helps us to process our nourishment, break down squanders and take an interest in different life cycles. They are various and have adjusted to occupy distinctive situations including outrageous conditions, for example, hot vents under the sea to ice tops. In “Bugged” by Rinku Patel aims that we know little about microbes, however there is a big part of unknown and we should learn more about these microbes that could benefit our health wise. Therefore, the author tries to emphasize on the effect of microbes in our life while engaging the reader to see things through the advantages of microbes, the disadvantages and defining useful bacteria.
Microorganism is a living thing that cannot be seen by naked eye and is so small in size. Microorganism usually can be seen through microscope because microscope have the ability to see small thing using various magnification. The examples of microorganism are bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae and virus. Among all of the microorganisms, bacteria have the greatest advantages in preserving food and beverages. Bacteria are generally harmless but can produce enzymes that can alter the structure the food. In extreme cases, bacteria can secrete toxic substances that can cause the food to spoil.
With science taking a new direction, people became healthier as vaccines, pasteurization, anesthesia, antiseptics, and the importance of personal hygiene were introduced. With the scientific advancements, scientists were able to study deadly diseases more closely. After the germ theory was introduced, Louis Pasteur developed vaccines to combat rabies and anthrax and introduced pasteurization to killed disease-carrying microbes in milk. The discovery of vaccinations enabled people to become immune to the deadly diseases out in the world. Florence Nightingale introduced the necessary sanitary measures that each hospitals should take and Joseph Lister discovered antiseptics that should be used to sterilize instruments before being used to operate surgeries. After these introductions of sanitary measures in hospitals, the rate of patients who died of infection days after the surgery decreased. People were able to live longer and survive more diseases, consequently increased the population and supply of workers.
It was believed that cholera was caused by an exorbitant production of bile by the patient before the study of bacteria gained importance and before microorganisms were linked to infectious diseases. In the 1800s this explanation was no longer adequate,and scientists started to look for new answers. In the 19th century, around the time a cholera pandemic was devastating Asia, the disease arrived in Italy. Pacini started performing autopsies on the bodies of victims intransigent...
The origin of the biological term cell came from Robert Hooke in 1662. He observed tiny compartments in the cork of a mature tree and gave them the Latin name “cellulae”, which translates into “small rooms”. In the late 1680s, Anton Van Leeuwenhoek was the first scientist to actually lay eyes on a cell. Before, there had been theories of “cells” but no one had the technology to see something so microscopic yet. Van Leeuwenhoek ran a draper 's shop and wanted to see the quality of the thread, better than the magnifying lenses available at that time. Therefore, he began to develop an interest in lens-making, with an interest already in microscopes and a familiarity with glass
The microscope which is invented and developed by much different scientist overtime is one of the most important tools a scientist especially in the biology and chemistry study can use. It made an impact in how we view life and learn more about the nature of diseases that had plague mankind for years. The microscope is mainly a tool biologist use but it has many uses for those studying chemistry.
In 1674 a man called Antony van Leeuwenhoek made a simple but useful microscope using only one lens to look at other tiny objects such as insects, yeast and to examine blood cells. Antony van Leeuwenhoek back round, to others, he would have been seen as an unpromising candidate to become a scientist of his time, due to him having no fortune, higher education or university degrees, but with his endless curiosity and an open mind he successfully came to make some of the most important findings in biology history, discovering bacteria, protists, sperm cells and many mor...