Micro 4000 - Chapter 1

Terms in this set (12)

reported that living things are composed of little boxes, or cells (living things)
-used a magnifying glass to see these "boxes" - turned out to be cells
-Cell theory: All living things are composed of cells and come from preexisting cells; proposed by Hooke
Viruses are no considered living cells

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

first observed and described live microorganisms
-Observed this under a microscope; saw structures moving, traced their paths

John Needham demonstrated boiled broths still produced microorganisms
-He is supporting spontaneous generation; Broth was boiled BREIFLY (this destroys all the microorganisms existing in broth)

contradicted Needham's results
-Boiled broths longer and sealed flasks by melting necks closed
-Broths remained sterile, unless neck cracked
Controversy still unsolved
-Some argued heating destroyed "vital force" necessary for spontaneous generation

demonstrated that microorganisms are present in the air; considered to be the father of microbiology

John Tyndall finally explained conflicting data --> endospores (heat-resistant)

Germ Theory of Disease

The principle that microorganisms are responsible for the cause diseases

used a chemical disinfectant (phenol) to prevent surgical wound infections
-Many people would die from infected wounds; this led to sepsis and death
Microbes from the air entering the wound

proved that a bacterium causes anthrax
provided the experimental steps, Koch's postulates (4), to prove that a specific microbe causes a specific disease

Inoculated a person with cowpox virus, who was then protected from smallpox

adding microorganisms to pollutants to hasten their decay

microbiota or normal flora

beneficial microbes

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