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The Discovery of the Germ: Twenty Years That Transformed the Way We Think About Disease (Revolutions in Science) Hardcover – October 22, 2003

by John Waller (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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From the time of Hippocrates to that of Louis Pasteur, the medical profession relied on plausible but almost wholly mistaken ideas about the causes of and best treatments for infectious illness. Bleeding, purging, and mysterious nostrums remained staple remedies, and surgeons, often wearing filthy butcher's aprons, blithely spread infection from patient to patient. Then between 1879 and 1900 came the germ revolution. After two decades of scientific virtuosity, outstanding feats of intellectual courage, bitter personal rivalries, and a large dose of good fortune, doctors came to realize infectious diseases are caused by microscopic organisms. The discovery of the germ led to safe surgery, large-scale vaccination programs, dramatic improvements in hygiene and sanitation, and the pasteurization of dairy products. Above all, it set the stage for the emergence of antibiotic medicine.

John Waller provides insight into twenty years in the history of medicine that profoundly changed the way we view disease. He shows how the germ revolution was made possible not only by the risk taking and raw ambition of several brilliant late-century pioneers, but also by the groundwork―including mistakes and near misses―of earlier generations of scientists. Rich in human drama, The Discovery of the Germ charts how, why, and by whom germ theory was transformed from a hotly disputed speculation to a central tenet of modern medicine. It examines the ideas and experiments of the giants of microbiology, Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, as well as less well known figures such as Casimir-Joseph Davaine, Waldemar Haffkine, and Almroth Wright.
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  1. Print length
    200 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Columbia University Press
  4. Publication date
    October 22, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    7.34 x 4.76 x 0.65 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    023113150X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0231131506
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Waller makes sighting the common germ seem as dramatic as man landing on the moon, and rightly so. Prior to 1879, doctors were hard put to ascertain just exactly how people contracted various diseases. Theories ran the gamut from the concept that certain individuals were predisposed to contract a specific disorder to the notion that body fluid imbalances triggered illness, and each physician had a favorite hypothesis. Meanwhile, even the idea that a doctor might fully examine a patient--nonpublic parts of female patients' bodies were off-limits to male practitioners--was viewed as radical. As late as the 1850s, the thought of a laboratory for the study of contagious disease had occurred to only a handful. In short, medical practice was an art unrelated to science. The wealthy supported pet doctors, who were reluctant to displease their patrons with unappealing diagnoses. The poor went to hospitals, the very names of which were equated with death. Then came such scientists as Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur, whose competition to prove emerging theories about the existence of germs catapulted medical knowledge into the twentieth century. Waller skillfully tells the tale of mankind surfacing to scientific and medical enlightenment after millennia spent in a cave: little book, big story. Donna Chavez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Waller skillfully tells the tale of mankind surfacing to scientific and medical enlightenment after millennia spent in a cave: little book, big story. ― Booklist

Waller presents a new telling of an old tale.... The development of the germ theory was hardly linear; fields as diverse as agriculture, sericulture, or surgery contributed necessary pieces. Walter handles these diverse threads and weaves a coherent narrative out of them.... Highly recommended. ― Choice

[A]n excellent read for a general audience and packs a lot of information on the beginnings of the microbiology of disease. ― Science Books and Films

large in human drama...It is a history book that reads like a novel. Highly recommended for all academic libraries -- Jitka Hurych ― E-Streams

This engaging book reads as a success story of scientific progress. -- Marjorie C. Malley ― ISIS

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Columbia University Press; 1st edition (October 22, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 200 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 023113150X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0231131506
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.34 x 4.76 x 0.65 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

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John Waller

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ed Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm pleased to have found and bought it.
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
I'll use this to inform my Internet content writing for biohazard cleanup and crime scene cleanup.

It's well written and a short history of germ discovery and methodology with characters in this endeavor treated fairly. I feel a deeper interest in following the historical characters; I really don't have time to study the many germs, like anthrax, in any sort of depth. I don't have the education for it anyway -- I'm pushing 68. I did buy ebolacleanup.com a month ago and sold crimescenecleanup.com early in the year -- 2014. My ebolacleanup.com will benefit mightily from this dandy piece of germ history.

This text needs a place in your personal library.

Sentences tend toward simple and compound complex, and short enough to earn this book a fairly decent rating on the Flesh-Kincade readability scale, I'm sure.
3 people found this helpful
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curtis sonny
5.0 out of 5 stars great service and great condition!
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2021
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I highly recommend this seller and the products!
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Teacher
5.0 out of 5 stars Necessary to understanding the future.of Germs and Medicine
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2014
Verified Purchase
Compact little book but through and well written -- easy read and entertaining. The Germ Theory is under attack because of Drug Resistance -- bacteria are fighting back. The reader should also research Hygiene Theory, Biome Depletion Theory and NDM-1. See also documentary Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria. This book will prepare you for the shifts in understanding of germs that are sure to come..
2 people found this helpful
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E Tman
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2013
Verified Purchase
Amazingly well written and energetic throughout. Waller has accomplished a feat in making the history of germs intriguing and leaving the reader thirsting for more. I found myself marveling at his intelligence, wit and depth of field. A must buy for scientists with even the slightest interest in microbiology.
4 people found this helpful
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Paul J. Crowder
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good introduction and well written
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2015
Verified Purchase
Short and to the point. Well written and a really good introduction, but if you want a through history, this isn't the book for you.
2 people found this helpful
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Eden
5.0 out of 5 stars Life changing book for me
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2015
I love this book. It is one of the reasons that I became a doctor. I read it 12 years ago while also trying to find a new path in life... I found the science in this book utterly fascinating and I enrolled in a medical science degree. This book still sits on my bookshelf as a reminder ... I can see it as I type this! Now I'm a family physician and still fascinated by my chosen field every day. If John Waller reads this I would honestly like to say thank you for writing this brilliant book that absolutely changed my life.
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