1-6 The history of microbiology is a web of discoveries

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• Science is interdependent and new discoveries depend upon earlier contributions from many other scientists.

Before we begin the adventure that we call learning microbiology (it can be thought of as an adventure! Really!) a look at the history of microbiology will help you to understand the contributions of those who have come before. This perspective will hopefully give you an appreciation of their efforts and put the body of knowledge we will examine in the context of history. Keep in mind that microbiology is a relatively young science. It was only about 140 years ago that it became possible to seriously study microorganisms in the laboratory, with most of our understanding of microbes coming in the last 60 years.

The history of microbiology, like all human history, is not a catalog of linear progress, but is more of an interweaving of the careers of bright individuals and their insights. Each new discovery relied on previous ones and in turn spawned further inquiry. A web of interdependent concepts evolved over time through the work of scientists in many related disciplines and nations. Often the research of one individual impacted the efforts of another studying a completely different problem. Keep this in mind as you look at this history.

Below we present several journeys through this web, mentioning some individuals who were particularly important in the progression. This history reflects our view of important events of the past, but is by no means comprehensive. We will first look at the development of the techniques for handling microorganisms, since everything else in microbiology depends upon these procedures. Next, we will examine how these techniques helped to settle an old debate, the question of spontaneous generation. Then, we will look at the history of infectious disease. The science of microbiology had its most significant early impact on human health, uncovering the cause of the major killers of the day, and then methods to treat them. As microbiology matured, scientists began to look at what non-pathogenic microbes were doing in the environment and we will look a bit at the history of general microbiology. Finally, the chapter will end with an examination of the events that lead to the understanding of life at the molecular level and the profound impact this has had on microbiology and on society in general.

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