Robert Koch

• German scientist Robert

  • Used Pasteur's work and proved Pasteur's theories
  • Identified that specific germs cause specific diseases
  • Pioneered the use of dyes to make microbes easier to see under the microscope
  • Developed methods of growing microbes in the lab
  • Discovered the specific germ that caused tuberculosis in 1882
  • Identified the microbe that caused diphtheria in 1883
• Rivalry between France and Germany in the late 1800s


  • Spurred both Pasteur and Robert on to discover more and more
  • Inspired others to find more microbes responsible for other diseases
• Robert Koch created new vaccines for tuberculosis and cholera
• Robert Koch's vaccines weren't always effective
• Robert Koch's big contribution was identifying that specific germs cause specific diseases
• Robert Koch greatly improved how disease was diagnosed
• Robert Koch's work

  1. Improved how disease was diagnosed

  2. Discovered the specific germ that caused tuberculosis in 1882

  3. Identified the microbe that caused diphtheria in 1883

  4. Pioneered the use of dyes to make microbes easier to see under the microscope

  5. Developed methods of growing microbes in the lab
• Examples of dyed microbes


  • Can be seen in the petri dish on a slide
• Robert Koch announced in 1890 that he had developed a vaccine for tuberculosis, which turned out to be ineffective
• War between France and Prussia (1870-1871)


  Created rivalry between Pasteur and Robert Koch, spurring them to better each other's achievements
• Factors that helped Robert Koch

  • Rivalry created by war
  • Well-equipped laboratory
  • Use of photography to record bacteria
  • Use of dyes to identify bacteria
  • Improved microscopes and photography
  • Use of his own individual genius
• Robert Koch was the first to prove an individual bacterium caused disease (Anthrax)
• Robert Koch developed a cure for tuberculosis, even though it wasn't effective