Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur (December 27 1822 – September 28 1895) was a French microbiologist and chemist. He is known to the general public for his demonstration of the germ theory of disease and his development techniques of inoculation, most notably the first vaccine against rabies; however, he also made a major discovery in the field of chemistry, regarding asymmetric molecules and the polarization of light.

Honors and assessment

Pasteur won the Leeuwenhoek medal, microbiology's highest honour, in 1895.

Related Topics:
Leeuwenhoek medal - Microbiology - 1895

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He died in 1895 near Paris from complications caused by a series of strokes that had begun plaguing him as far back as 1868. He was buried in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, but his remains were soon placed in a crypt in the Institut Pasteur, Paris.

Related Topics:
Cathedral of Notre Dame - Institut Pasteur

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Pasteur's method of immunization was effective and was employed by many other physicians, eventually leading to the eradication of the diseases typhus and polio as threats. Pasteurization led to the elimination of contaminated milk and other drinks as sources of disease. In fact, Pasteur inaugurated the modern age of medicine, leading to an increase in the human life span and a surprising population explosion. Accordingly, he has been hailed as the "Father of Medicine" and a "Benefactor of Humanity." Craters on Mars and the Moon are named in his honor. In popular culture, Pasteur is the eponymous French scientist, his name appearing in science fiction shows like Star Trek. A biographical film of his life has also been made, entitled The Story of Louis Pasteur.

Related Topics:
Typhus - Polio - Medicine - Crater - Mars - Moon - Eponymous - Star Trek - The Story of Louis Pasteur

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