Louis Pasteur Biography

Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France, on December 27, 1822, and died in the municipality of Marnes-la-Coquette, located in the same country, on September 28, 1895.

Pasteur was a chemist and bacteriologist who made notable contributions to the field of natural sciences. He was a pioneer and is even credited with the foundation of microbiology; which has allowed the creation of vaccines and antibiotics that, in turn, have enabled better living conditions for humans and animals. Thus, scientific medicine, besides to veterinary medicine, would be nourished by their contributions. Louis Pasteur is also the creator of pasteurization and other vaccines: against avian cholera, anthrax, and rabies.

The parents of Louis Pasteur were Jean-Joseph Pasteur and Jeanne-Étiennette Roqui. Louis had a relatively normal childhood: he grew up in Arbois and dreamed of being an art teacher. Nevertheless, he inclined by the natural sciences, perhaps by influence of his father. After attending the Normal Superior School of Paris, from 1842 to 1847, he was able to graduate as a physicist and chemist. On May 29, 1849, Pasteur married Marie Laurent. The couple had five children, three of them died of typhus; the other two were called: Jean-Baptiste and Marie-Luise. Marie Laurent took care of the children and helped Louis Pasteur in his experiments, she was his assistant.

Pasteur was first a professor of physics at the Liceo de Dijon; then, from 1847 to 1853, he taught chemistry in that city and also at the University of Strasbourg. In 1854, he reached the position of dean in the faculty of sciences of the University of Lille.

The first great contribution of Pasteur happened in the decade of 1840, and it involves a discovery made from the structure of tartaric acid. The Frenchman identified a type of isometry (that is, the same molecular shape, different structures) where the enantiomers, or optical isomers, a class of stereoisomers, are a pair of compounds and one of the molecules is the mirror image of the other. Therefore, it is impossible for them to be superimposable. After that achievement, at the age of 26, he was awarded the Legion of Honor.

The next of his contributions is related to microbiology. The Frenchman is the creator of the pasteurization, which was named after him. It consists in subjecting the liquids to certain levels of heat and cooling them immediately, with the purpose of sterilizing them and decreasing the number of pathogenic microorganisms in them. For this discovery, experiments were conducted using wine, without altering its flavor, milk was also used. This discovery favored the food and wine industry. In addition, a large number of diseases were prevented, including brucellosis.

After pasteurization, the theory of spontaneous generation was finally buried. The microorganisms ratified that every living being emerges from another living being, in Latin: “Omne vivum ex vivo.”  The spontaneous generation occurred after the study of a disease suffered by silkworms. At that time, Pasteur

experienced a cerebral hemorrhage. Upon returning, he became interested in how diseases of rapid contagion were transmitted. The French made a “theory about contagious diseases” where he postulated that they originate from microorganisms, those almost invisible elements. Thus, one of his most used tools was the microscope. The approach of Louis Pasteur was not well received, but time would make it practically irrefutable. It is worth mentioning that the English surgeon Joseph Lister trusted him and developed thoroughly what we call antisepsis. Lister decided to submit all surgical tools to sterilization processes; causing that cases of gangrene decreased.

In the 1880s, Louis Pasteur studied the bacteria that caused avian cholera, and he also developed tests on anthrax disease. In addition, he was a pioneer in the fight against rabies and diphtheria. Marie Laurent would accompany him during his great discoveries. Pasteur kept the notes of his studies, both successful experiments, and failures. It is very likely that his most successful researches were published while he lived; the others, long after, would complement his work.

According to a current investigation into his laboratory notebooks, Pasteur would have lied and exaggerated the results of his investigations. Maybe he had a great desire to preserve the formulas obtained and even apply other people’s procedures without giving credit to their owners.

He is also credited with getting the rabies vaccine, after applying a formula on a sick child. He had never used it in humans before, only a few times in animals, without great results. However, he claimed to have run enough tests. It was a huge risk. However, the kid did not die.

The following sentence is attributed to Pasteur, which seems a paradox and fits with what happened: “In the field of research, chance favors no more than prepared spirits.” In any case, Louis Pasteur was a remarkable chemist and bacteriologist, full of qualities. Between 1887 and 1888, the Pasteur Institute was founded and inaugurated in Paris and it was used by the chemist and bacteriologist to continue his studies on a large scale. Emile Roux, a former student, and Alexandre Yersin went back to work with Pasteur on his new projects.

It is recognized the portrait that Albert Edelfelt made of him, in 1885, and that is currently in the Musée d’Orsay, in Paris. He is also credited with the phrase: “Veterinarians have it easier. At least, they are not disoriented by the opinions of their patients.”

Finally, Louis Pasteur would lead the institute until the date of his death, at 72 years old.