JSM - Edition Two

L ouis P asteur - continued In 1852 Pasteur became Chairman of the Chemistry Department at the University of Strasbourg. Here he began studying fermentation, a type of chemical process in which sugars are turned into alcohol. His work resulted in tremendous improvements in the brewing of beer and the making of wine. While at the University he fell in love and married the daughter of the university’s rector, Marie Laurent. They had five children, however three died young from typhoid fever. It was their deaths that drove Louis to research infectious diseases in order to find a cure. He was a risk taker because he proved what he believed which was microbes came from the air and didn’t just appear. Spontaneous generation was the common belief at the time. Lifetime Achievements Louis Pasteur was a famous chemist and microbiologist whose works led to the advancement of the life we know today. He created vaccines and medicines, as well as invented the pasteurization process for milk products. Louis Pasteur helped resolve the mysteries of several deadly diseases like Chicken- cholera, Anthrax, Rabies and Silkworm Diseases. In 1865 the silk industry faced a crisis. The silk worms were dying. His discoveries saved the silk industry. He contributed to the development of the very first vaccines. Louis Pasteur’s research and work gave birth to several branches of science. Pasteur’s first vaccine discovery was in 1879 with a contagious disease called Chicken-cholera. After unexpectedly exposing chickens to the weakened form of a dis- ease, he proved that they became immune to the actual virus. Pasteur continued to extend his “germ theory” of vaccinations for various diseases including Anthrax, Smallpox and Chicken-cholera. In 1882, Pasteur made a decision to emphasize his efforts and research on the subject of rabies disease which was proven to attack the central nervous system. In 1885, he vaccinated Joseph Meister, a nine-year-old boy who had previously been bitten 14 times by a rabid dog. The effective results of Pasteur’s vaccine for rabies brought him instant fame. In 1888 he established a new research centre in Paris. It was named the Pasteur Institute and had the first course of microbiology in the world. Students could continue his work here. He died on September 28, 1895 in France, from a stroke. Conclusion Louis Pasteur is known as one of the greatest scientists in history. He was a great chemist, microbiologist and artist and changed the world in a way that other people thought was impossible. Without pasteurization, a glass of milk would not be safe to drink. He has helped save millions of lives. His proof that microbes cause diseases led to the cure of many illnesses. Also vaccinations keep us safe from many diseases. More than 100 years after his death, scientists are still producing new vaccines for people and animals.

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JSM Edition Two