louis pasteur and germ theory

• Louis Pasteur


  Scientist who developed Germ Theory
• Germ Theory


  Theory that germs cause disease
• Louis Pasteur published Germ Theory


  1861
• Before Louis Pasteur, bad air/smells were believed to cause disease. This was called Miasma
• Before Louis Pasteur, washing hands was not considered important as it did not stop Miasma
• Semmelweiss (1847): 'Wash your hands you MURDERERS!!'
• Before Louis Pasteur, people had discovered germs but did not believe they caused disease. They believed germs appeared once you were already ill, this was called Spontaneous Generation
• Louis Pasteur


  • Worked at Lille University in France
  • Lille is the centre of France's beer making industry
• In 1858, one of Lille's top brewers asked Pasteur to work out why some vats of beer went off, whilst some did not
• Louis Pasteur's analysis of beer

  1. Analysed beer with powerful microscopes

  2. Discovered rotten beer had loads of bacteria (germs) in it

  3. Deduced germs were making the beer go off

  4. Advised boiling the beer to kill the germs, this process is called 'Pasteurisation'

  5. Today Pasteurisation is used on cow's milk
• From this, Louis Pasteur developed 'Germ Theory'
• Hitler becomes Chancellor


  1928 = 2.6%<|>1930 = 18%<|>July 1932 = 37%<|>Nov 1932 = 33%
• The Reichstag Fire Decree was passed in February, giving the police more power, including the right to shoot anyone. The SA were made reserve police on February 22nd
• The Reichstag burns down on February 28th. A Communist (van der Lubbe) is arrested at the scene. The Nazis use this as an excuse to install emergency powers. The Reichstag Fire Decree suspends freedom of speech and assembly
• Hitler becomes Chancellor on 30th January 1933. His vice-Chancellor is von Papen (non-Nazi). He has only 3 Nazis in his cabinet (Hitler, Goring and Frisk) out of 10 positions. He calls a new election for March 5th
• How did Louis Pasteur prove Germ Theory? 1864 = (describe/draw what is happening in source 1), 1865 =