biografhy

BiOgRaFhY

French chemist and bacteriologist. Conducted several investigations in the field of natural sciences, and is considered the founder of stereochemistry and the driver of microbiology and immunology. But what is most known for having developed the rabies vaccine, which was a total success.

Their findings were of great importance in various fields of natural sciences. The significance of their work has made it regarded as the founder of stereochemistry and the driver of microbiology and immunology.

He was born on December 27, 1822 in Dole, France. His father, who had been a soldier of Napoleon, had a tannery where he worked to support his family. Louis spent his childhood in the city of Abois, where his parents settled in 1827.

He studied at the Liceo de Besançon and the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he received his doctorate in physics and chemistry in 1847. He was then professor of chemistry at the University of Strasbourg (1847-1853), and dean of the University of Lille in 1854.

In 1857 he was director of scientific studies of the Ecole Normale de Paris, whose lab conducted in 1867. He was also director of the Institute that bears his name since its creation in 1888 until he died (1895).

Pasteur's contributions to science were numerous and began his research in organic chemistry. Optical isomerism discovered (1848) by crystallization of racemic acid, which obtained crystals of two different ways. It is considered that this work gave rise to the stereochemistry. Moreover, this finding the young chemist, who was 26 years, received the French Legion of Honor.

Used a new method to kill microorganisms that could degrade the wine, beer or milk. This procedure is called pasteurization and has universal application in the food industry, which was developed to prevent the alteration of food.

The similarity between the processes of fermentation and putrefaction and suppuration of wounds, enabled the implementation of its findings to the surgery. In 1871, Pasteur forced the military hospital doctors to boil the instruments and bandages. Described an oven, called Pasteur oven, useful for sterilizing surgical instruments and laboratory equipment.

In 1865 a scientist discovered the mechanisms of transmission of the pebrine, a disease of silkworms, who then threatened to sink the French industry. As a result of his work called enunciated the germ theory of disease, which states that they start with the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms in the human body.

After 1870 Louis Pasteur investigated on communicable diseases, and in 1881 he studied about the anthrax in sheep, and succeeded in preparing a vaccine of bacteria off, the first in history.

His work as a researcher was indefatigable. Thus he developed the vaccine against rabies, or hydrophobia, the last great contribution he made to science. The effectiveness of it was successfully tested on July 6, 1885, in a child who had been bitten by a rabid dog and, thanks to the vaccine did not develop rabies.

Popular support made possible the construction of the Pasteur Institute, which had since its beginnings a deserved international reputation. In 1882 Pasteur was elected to the French Academy. He died on September 28, 1895 in Villeneuve.