Clinical Laboratory Technology

Highlights in the History of Microbiology

• Timeline
• Contributions to:
  • Microscopy
  • Culture Methods
  • Germ Theory of Disease
  • Defense or Control of Microbes
  • Virology
  • Molecular Methods
  • Related Links
  • Awards
  
  
  

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  Timeline
  
  ____1600_______1700_______ 1800_________ 1900_______

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  1677

  Observed "little animals" (Antony Leeuwenhoek)

  1796

  First scientific Small pox vaccination (Edward Jenner)

  1850

  Advocated washing hands to stop the spread of disease (Ignaz Semmelweis)

  1861

  Disproved spontaneous generation (Louis Pasteur)

  1862

  Supported Germ Theory of Disease (Louis Pasteur)

  1867

  Practiced antiseptic surgery (Joseph Lister)

  1876

  First proof of Germ Theory of Disease with B. anthracis discovery (Robert Koch)

  1881

  Growth of Bacteria on solid media (Robert Koch)

  1882

  Outlined Kochs postulates (Robert Koch)

  1882

  Developed acid-fast Stain (Paul Ehrlich)

  1884

  Developed Gram Stain (Christian Gram)

  1885

  First Rabies vaccination (Louis Pasteur)

  1887

  Invented Petri Dish (R.J. Petri)

  1892

  Discovered viruses (Dmitri Iosifovich Ivanovski)

  1899

  Recognized viral dependence on cells for reproduction (Martinus Beijerinck)

  1900

  Proved mosquitoes carried the yellow fever agent (Walter Reed)

  1910

  Discovered cure for syphilis (Paul Ehrlich)

  1928

  Discovered Penicillin (Alexander Fleming)

  1977

  Developed a method to sequence DNA (W. Gilbert & F. Sanger)

  1983

  Polymerase Chain Reaction invented (Kary Mullis)

  1995

  First microbial genomic sequence published (H. influenzae) (TIGR)

  
  

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  Contributions To:

  • Microscopy
    • 1677 Antony Leeuwenhoek
    • 1882 Paul Ehrlich
    • 1884 Christian Gram

  • Culture Methods
    • 1882 Robert Koch
    • 1887 R. J. Petri

  • Germ Theory of Disease
    • 1860 Louis Pasteur
    • 1867 Joseph Lister
    • 1876 Robert Koch

  • Defense or Control of Microbes
    • 1796 Edward Jenner
    • 1850 Ignaz Semmelweis
    • 1867 Joseph Lister
    • 1885 Louis Pasteur
    • 1900 Walter Reed
    • 1910 Paul Ehrlich
    • 1928 Alexander Fleming

  • Virology
    • 1892 Dmitri Iosifovich Ivanovski
    • 1899 Martinus Beijerinck

  • Molecular Methods
    • 1977 W. Gilbert & F. Sanger
    • 1983 Kary Mullis
    • 1995 TIGR

  
  

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  If you want to learn more about the history of Science or the Clinical Laboratory, visit these sites:

  • Microbiology Timeline: Significant Events of the Last 125 Years
  • American society of Clinical Pathologists History
  • The National Women's History Project: Links
  • The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences.
  • A Chronology of Significant Historical Developments in the Biological Sciences
  • Virology Time Machine
  • Aids History
  • History of the Microscope
  • DNA Timeline
  • Chronological History of Biological Warfare and Terrorism

  
  

  Karen M. Kiser MA MT(ASCP), PBT
  Emeritus Professor
  Clinical Laboratory Technology/Phlebotomy
  St. Louis, Mo USA

  Updated January 1, 2008

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