Pasteur, Louis (1822–95)

Born on December 27, 1822, at Dole, Jura, France, Louis Pasteur founded microbiology as a science; disproved the theory of spontaneous generation, replacing it with germ theory of disease; discovered how to pasteurize liquids to prevent disease; and developed vaccines for anthrax and rabies.

Pasteur attended the Collège Communal of Arbois, receiving his degree at Besançon. He then studied in Paris, researching properties of crystals. Through this research, he discovered the phenomenon of molecular dissymmetry.

He married Marie Laurent, with whom he had five children. Three children died from typhoid fever.

Named professor of physics at the Lycée de Dijon in 1848, just three months later, he became deputy professor of chemistry at the University of Strasbourg; he was named full professor in 1852. In 1854, he began serving as dean and professor of chemistry at the University of Lille. In 1857, he was chosen as director of scientific studies at the école Normale in Paris; six years later, he became professor of geology and chemistry at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. From 1867 until 1889, he served as professor of chemistry at the Sorbonne and, finally, the director of the Pasteur Institute.

Louis Pasteur founded microbiology as a science and discovered how to pasteurize liquids to prevent disease.

Continuing his research, he discovered that germs caused fermentation, which disproved the concept of spontaneous generation and served as the impetus for the germ theory of infection. His studies of wine, beer, and vinegar allowed him to form his understanding of pasteurization in which liquids are partially sterilized to destroy organisms that can cause disease.

Pasteur discovered the cause of silkworm disease and announced that the spread of the disease could be stopped if healthy worms were kept separate from diseased ones. Although he was mocked, he proved his theory and then moved on to study animal diseases. Discovering causes of anthrax and fowl cholera and finding methods to vaccinate against these diseases, Pasteur began studying childbed fever—now known to be caused by streptococcus—in humans in hospitals. He also researched rabies, discovering how to create a vaccinating virus for afflicted humans; because of this discovery, Germany founded the Pasteur Institute.

In 1887, Pasteur was named Perpetual Secretary of the Academy of Science. He died on September 28, 1895.