Journal of the association of physicians of india • vol 63 • march, 2015
61
Louis Pasteur (1822 - 1895)
MA Aleem*
Postal Stamp of France 1972
L
ouis Pasteur was a French Scientist born on
December 27, 1822 in Dole in East France.
His discovery that most diseases are caused by
germs known as “Germ Theory of Diseases” is
one of the most important in medical history.
His work became the foundation for the science
of microbiology and a cornerstone of modern
medicine.
Consultant, Neurologist, Vasan
Medical Centre, Trichy-18;
GVN Hospital, Trichy-8; Trichy
Neuro Research Centre,
Thuvarankurichy, Trichy 621314,
Tamil Nadu
*
He championed changes in hospital
practices to minimise the spread of diseases
by microbes. Pasteur was able to establish
the basic rules of sterilisation or asepsis.
Preventing contagion and infection his method
of sterilisation revolutionised surgery and
obstetrics. From 1877-1887 he discovered
three bacteria responsible for human illnesses
i . e . S t a p h yl o c o c c u s ; S t r e p t o c o c c u s a n d
Pneumococcus.
Pasteur developed pasteurisation, a process
by which harmful microbes in perishable food
products are destroyed by using heat without
destroying food.
Pasteur discovered the method for the
attenuation of virulent microorganisms that is
the basis of vaccination. It is by using Pasteur’s
method vaccines were prepared to counter
anthrax, plague, poliomyelitis, tick- borne
encephalitis, measles and number of other
infections.
Pasteur found that rabies was transmitted
by agents so small which could not be seen
under a microscope, thus revealing the world
of viruses. He prepared a vaccine against
rabies. On July 6, 1885, Pasteur tested his
pioneering anti rabies vaccine on man for the
first time.
Pasteur’s work is not simply the sum
of these discoveries. It also represents the
revolution of scientific methodology. He
was a humanist, always working towards
improvement of the human conditions. Because
he changed the world forever, his homeland
and the world have long considered him as
benefactor of humanity.