Medical Revolution: From Old Beliefs to Germ Theory
You've probably heard of the Theory of the Four Humours - this ancient idea still dominated medical thinking at the start of this period, along with miasma theory (the belief that disease spread through "bad air"). But everything was about to change dramatically.
Louis Pasteur completely revolutionised medicine by disproving the spontaneous generation theory. He proved that germs actually caused liquids to decay and might cause harm to humans too. Meanwhile, Robert Koch was busy identifying specific bacteria that caused major diseases like anthrax (1876), tuberculosis (1882), and cholera (1883).
The immediate impact was limited because doctors couldn't see these microbes themselves and many remained sceptical. However, the germ theory eventually transformed medical practice, leading to vaccinations and antiseptic procedures that saved countless lives.
Surgery also began changing thanks to Joseph Lister, who used carbolic acid as an antiseptic from 1865. Though he faced opposition initially, his methods dramatically reduced infection rates during operations.
Key Insight: The shift from believing in "bad air" to understanding germs was one of the most important scientific breakthroughs in human history.
