Louis Pasteur and the Hidden World of Microbes

K- ANNHALEY MACKENZIE, DEPARTMENT EDITOR

spoiling that Pasteur's name ject, Pasteur was elated that his MICROBIOLOGY became a household word with vaccine worked. BeforePasteur's he saw the realization Louis Pasteur and the Hidden the development of the process life ended, to World of Microbes. By Louise of pasteurization.Then Pasteur of the PasteurInstitute in Paris E. Robbins. 2001. Oxford attackedthe idea of spontaneous continue research into the dis- 0) University Press (ISBN 0-19- generation as he demonstrated ease process. 512227-5). 140 pp. Hardback that living organismscome only Ms. Robbins gives us an $24.00. frompreviously living organisms. accurate view of Louis Pasteur. 0- He branched further into the Yes, he was undeniably a genius, How could the son of a small field of biology as he first studied but he was also arrogant and change the world's town tanner disease in silkworms for the overbearing.While he purported process? views on the disease French government. He was to be a family man, his family Louis Pasteurwas the only son of

forced to slow his work when, at realizedthat they came second to Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/65/5/386/51428/4451521.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 a tanner and French military the age of 45, he had a serious his work. Manytimes Pasteurgot hero from the Napoleonic era. stroke. Despite partial paralysis carried away with nationalistic Early in Pasteur's education, in his left hand, he persistedwith competition rather than share "The laboratory became, and his research.Not only did he find with foreigncolleagues and work remained,Pasteur's greatest love the cause of the disease, but he for the good of mankind.Because and his favoriteplace to be." He found that there were two dis- of Pasteur'smany great contribu- investigatedthe stoichiometryof eases devastatingthe Frenchsilk- tions to science, it is easy to put crystals and found that the activ- worm industry. Pasteurfrequent- him on a pedestal. Ms. Robbins ities of living organisms were ly made enemies with his gener- takes Pasteurfrom that pedestal responsiblefor producingcertain alizations and sweeping state- for us to see him as he reallywas crystalline products. Pasteur's ments. One such critic accused, with all his "warts." next quest led him to an under- "Pasteursees only what he's look- This book gives excellent standing of fermentationand the ing for."Pasteur continued to stir informationfor a middle or high which carriedit out or microbes up criticismas he venturedmore school student investigating spoiled the results. It was and more into the world of medi- Pasteur or any of his projects. through this experimentationon cine with his investigationsinto With other works from the how to keep wine and beer from chicken cholera, anthrax, and Oxford Portraitsin Science, stu- ultimately, rabies. Koch, a dents could get a good feel for ANN HALEYMAcKENZIE, Book Reviews German bacteriologist,criticized the works of the likes of Edward Editor, is an Associate Professor at Pasteur'stechniques for culturing Jenner, Gregor Mendel, and Miami University, Oxford, OH, and bacteria. Both microbial giants Charles Darwin through Linus teaches classes in Inquiry Life Science, were caught up in a nationalistic Pauling, Francis Crick and and Methods Sciencefor Adolescentand competition as a result of the James Watson. This frank and Middle Childhood Majors. She is also Franco-PrussianWar, and neither honest style gives students a involved in developing a Science much better idea of who a scien- Teaching,Ethics, and Society course and was willing to give the other his infusesfilm and popular culture within due. Meanwhile, in England, tist really is. all of her classes. MacKenzie taught at Joseph Lister,the father of asep- the secondary levelfor years and is afor- tic surgery,was noting Pasteur's Diane Crosthwaite mer Ohio Teacherof the Year.She has work and cheering him on. As Biology Teacher also consultedfor National Geographic, Pasteurworked on his vaccinefor BSCS, American Physiological Society, North Union High School PBS, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for rabies, he noted that Roux, his Richwood,OH 43344 Astrophysicsand AAAS. Her predomi- colleague, was using a different nant passion is how popular culture method for handling the brain impacts the science knowledge of chil- and spinal cord of the rabbits. The Other End of the dren. As a result, she developed a web "Fromthen on he (Pasteur)took Microscope: The Bacteria Tell science concepts to film clips site linking the technique as his own ... and Their Own Story, a Fantasy. By Her address is: (www.flickclip.com). Elmer W. Koneman. 2002. ASM Teacher Education, Miami University, found a way to make a more reli- 301 McGuffeyHall, Oxford,OH. 45056; able vaccine."When finallyput to Press (ISBN 1-55581-227-9).218 e-mail: [email protected]. the test on an actualhuman sub- pp. Paperback$29.95.

386 THEAMERICAN BIOLOGY TEACHER, VOLUME 65, NO.5,MAY 2003