 starter activity
Why am I
ill?
What did people believe caused disease in the early 1800s? Read
p.121 and make a list of causes. Which was closest to the
truth?
Causes of disease
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Punishment from god
Body’s humours out of balance
Miasma – bad airs created by waste or
overcrowding in towns
Animacules – microscopic organisms 1st spotted
by Anthony van Leeuwenhoek using latest
microscope
Spontaneous generation – decaying organisms
were created when animals died
Anthony van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)
Key words: spontaneous generation microbes epitaph
What was so important
about ‘Germ Theory’?
 LOs
To find out what people thought caused diseases in
the early 1800s
To explain how Pasteur developed his Germ Theory
and evaluate its importance
 Your task

Read about the life of Louis Pasteur on p.123124. . Copy these theories into your books and
explain how Pasteur proved them:
Air contains living organisms
 Microbes are not distributed evenly in the air
 Microbes in the air cause decay
 Microbes can be killed by heating
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
Extension. Try to summarise ‘Germ Theory’
as a Tweet
Flask demonstrating
microbes in air
cause decay
Summary of Germ Theory

Louis Pasteur carried out
a series of experiments
using liquids in flasks. He
showed that microorganisms existed in air,
that they were found in
differing concentrations
depending on where you
were. These organisms
caused decay and they
could be destroyed by
heat.
Pasteur at work in his laboratory
 Yourr task
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Study the information on p.123 and find evidence for
each of the factors below:
Attitudes & Enquiry
Trade
Government
Technology
Individual Genius
Extension. Which do you think was the most
important factor?
Attitudes & Enquiry
Trade
Government
Technology
Individual Genius
Pasteur - factors
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Attitudes & Enquiry: convinced that germs in the air
caused disease
Trade: helped alcohol industry of Lille; 1865, called in
to help silk industry
Government: asked by govt to help wine & milk
industries; had support of Emperor of France; paid for
lab and technicians
Technology: used microscope to study bacteria; used
latest lab equipment, e.g. swan-neck flask
Individual Genius: committed to his ideas despite being
mocked by scientists who still believed in spontaneous
generation
Louis Pasteur
Write a short epitaph to
Louis Pasteur (18221895) explaining what
was so significant
about his ‘Germ
Theory’
Sketch a design for a
monument to Pasteur.
Use BBC website to
help you research
Pasteur
 Homework

Imagine you have been asked to produce a film
explaining the discovery of the causes of disease.
You will be given a template for a storyboard.
Sketch an image in each box showing the main
stages in the discovery. For each scene explain
what happened at each stage and what factors
helped. The first box can provide the
background on miasmas and the last one can be
the credits!
Key words: spontaneous generation microbes epitaph
What was so important
about ‘Germ Theory’?
 LOs
To find out what people thought caused diseases in
the early 1800s
To explain how Pasteur developed his Germ Theory
and evaluate its importance