History of Medicine

Louis Pasteur Louis Pasteur was best known for his remarkable breakthroughs in the cause and prevention of disease. His discoveries reduced mortality from puerperal fever and he created the first vaccine for rabies. His experiments supported the germ theory of disease. Pasteur was best known to the general public for inventing a method to stop milk and wine from causing sickness—a process now known as pasteurization. And he is regarded as one of the three main founders of microbiology.

The rabies vaccine developed by Pasteur was first used on 9-year old Joseph Meister, on July 6, 1885, after the boy was badly mauled by a rabid dog. Pasteur was not a licensed physician and could have faced prosecution for treating the boy. If left without treatment, the boy faced almost certain death from rabies. After consulting with colleagues, Pasteur decided to go ahead with the treatment. Pasteur