Germ Theory (eBook)

Acknowledgments vii

Preface ix

About the Author xi

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

Chapter 2 Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine 11

Chapter 3 Avicenna, a Thousand Years Ahead of His Time 31

Chapter 4 Girolamo Fracastoro and Contagion in Renaissance Medicine 45

Chapter 5 Antony van Leeuwenhoek and the Birth of Microscopy 63

Chapter 6 The Demise of the Humoral Theory of Medicine 79

Chapter 7 Edward Jenner and the Discovery of Vaccination 93

Chapter 8 Ignaz Semmelweis and the Control of Puerperal Sepsis 117

Chapter 9 Louis Pasteur and the Germ Theory of Disease 143

Chapter 10 Robert Koch and the Rise of Bacteriology 173

Chapter 11 Joseph Lister, the Man Who Made Surgery Safe 207

Chapter 12 Paul Ehrlich and the Magic Bullet 235

Chapter 13 Alexander Fleming and the Discovery of Penicillin 265

Chapter 14 Lillian Wald and the Foundations of Modern Public Health 295

Chapter 15 Conclusions 311

Index 319

"With these stories, Gaynes provides a brief, illuminating, and sometimes inspiring account of germ theory." (Media Watch, 1 February 2012)



"With these stories, Gaynes provides a brief, illuminating, and sometimes inspiring account of germ theory." (Media Watch, 1 February 2012)



"The appeal of this biographical approach is easy to understand. It permits the reader, and the author as well, to focus on a series of famous individuals rather than on the more complex dynamics of a research or professional community." (Microbe Magazine, 02 August 2013)



"In this volume, the author recounts the circuitous paths by which germs have become recognized as pervasive causes of disease, and the effects of this enlightenment on human health." (The Quarterly Review of Biology, 14 July 2013)



"Robert P. Gaynes succeeds in depicting in large brushes the history of infectious diseases, placed into the context of concepts and ideas as they evolved from the time of Hippocrates in ancient Greece 2,500 years ago to the present. He does so by presenting lively biographies of twelve pioneers selected for changing the prevailing view of the time and for contributing major advances in the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases... This is a fascinating book that will captivate anyone with an interest in microbiology, infectious disease, and medical history." (Key Reporter, 23 June 2013)



"This is a well-written--even intriguing--historical chronicle of medical advances and microbial understanding... Gayes has crafted a book which I certainly will find myself reading again and again. It is a book in which anyone, from medical professionals to introductory microbiology students, will discover 'new' scientific and medical intrigue. This book is highly recommended for any educator or student of microbiology, public health or medicine. Educators at the high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical school levels will benefit from reading Germ Theory. It is similarly well-suited for microbiology, biology, and medical students at these same levels. Find a copy soon. You will have your eyes opened, and be glad you did." (Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 23 June 2013)



"Gaynes (Emory Univ. School of Medicine) presents a well-researched, inspiring narrative of the most important discoveries in the history of medical science. He weaves the origins of the germ theory of disease and the biographies of those who made significant discoveries together into intriguing, informative stories." (CHOICE, 04 December 2012)