Great Thinkers

» Georgene A. Bramlage - Pasteur, etc.

Hi Tel,

I'm back again

This time the ancient biology teacher in me wants to
point out a few items about Louis Pasteur and the time in which he worked.

The late 18th and early 19th century saw many scientific developments which led to improvements in the ways in which we live today. It was a fertile, exciting time for science...no TV, etc. scientistds talked to each other

Sometimes difficult to keep the names of the players and their contributions straight because so much was happening. But here's a little synopsis:

***small pox caused by variola virus; vaccine developed by Edward Jenner in early 19th century.
***chicken pox caused by the varicella-zoster virus; part of a group of viruses called herpes viruses; vaccine for chickenpox became available in the United States in 1995.

"The term vaccination originally referred to immunization against smallpox because the procedure originated when English physician Edward Jenner (1749-1823) discovered that milkmaids who had contracted the mild disease cowpox (vaccinia) were immune to smallpox. The development of a cowpox vaccine against smallpox has led to the production of vaccines against a wide range of diseases."

"Mid-nineteenth century, French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) developed his germ theory. The theory held that specific microorganisms cause specific diseases. He is responsible for pasteurization (not to be confused with homogenization)...Pasteur also...
1 - developed a method to protect animals against anthrax by injecting the animals with anthrax bacilli that had been severely weakened by a special treatment;
2 - developed a method for preventing rabies in persons bitten by rabid animals; and
3 - assistants and colleagues at Pasteur Institute went on to develop other vaccines including diptheria.

So...please make me happy and change the inaccuracy for Pasteur in the scientific thinker poll

Thanks and Cheers!

G.

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» Tel Asiado - Pasteur, etc.

In response to Pasteur, etc. posted by Cercis:

Hi Georgene,

Thanks so much for your fascinating and more in-depth contribution/information... I'm very sure our readers will appreciate them. My one-liner description in the poll was merely the simplest guide I could think of, in mind our readers not familiar with scientists at all. About Pasteur (and yes, he was one of my favourites dear when I was a Chemistry stude ages ago), initially I wanted to just say Pasteurization but I wanted a bit more, a reason I got to mentioning rabies, etc. After reading your post, I decided to revert back to my original plan, to simply describe the encompassing 'developed Pasteurization." This'll do.

That's great, we compliment each other. Is your education biology? Mine is Chemistry! Although I enjoyed more Physics and Maths, than Biochemistry. And don't ask me why. ;-)

Thanks again.
Cheers,
Tel

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» pink101 - Charles Darwin

.
It is a difficult choice to qualify these thinkers as more or less significant than any other.
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Each has their own contribution without any of which we would not be where we are today in any sense of the word.
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In a way, they are all equally significant.
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The reason I chose Charles Darwin is unfolding in the present moment of our Western Civilization--the entire world. Acceptance of his ideas at some level is facilitating more and more openness in scientific inquiry. Once society makes the critical choices, it seems to me that the flood gates of scientific discovery will open major doors into the future for humanity.

-- posted by pink101

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» Tel Asiado - Charles Darwin

In response to Charles Darwin posted by pink101:

Very interesting observation Pink101. It was very challenging for me to choose the limiting 5 in our poll. I was down to 10 scientists who I kept thinking about for almost a day, just for the poll. ;)

While reading your finale thought, I couldn't help but get overwhelmed by Richard Strauss's music "Also Sprach Zarathustra," the opening salvo of that space odyssey movie. I find it so powerful.

G'day!

Tel

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» Georgene A. Bramlage - Pasteur, etc.

In response to Pasteur, etc. posted by telstar:
Hi Tel,

Yes ancient biologist that I am...

My real love is and has always been plants and secondarily "how things work."

The biology comes about because my parents were afraid i couln't support myself by studying just botany. So I said (foolish youngster that I was), "I know. I'll teach!"

Hence a double major in botany and zoology; advanced degrees in botany and sitting in on zoology and physiology courses. And then finally, not to support myself but several offspring in the throes of their educations, teaching biology. I found that I loved the history of science (hence my 'bugging you') and my students loved physiology, esp. lurid examples.

Biochemistry, fascinating; physics as it pertains to moton and physiology, fascinating; mathematics, :+(

My favorite TV program for the last couple of winter seasons is "Numb3rs," bout a math professor at California Polytechnical who helps his FBI brother solve crimes by using mathematical analysis. Why,O, Why...could mathematics not been taught that way when I was in school!

Now that the offspring are educated and fuly employed with offpsing of their own, I can settle in to what I really love - plants, landscape design and writing. And it goes without saying, I love knowing what my fellow Suite101 colleagues are thinking and reading what they are writing about.

G.

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» Tel Asiado - Pasteur, etc.

In response to Pasteur, etc. posted by Cercis:

Hi Georgene,

Obviously, we have a lot in common in science, but you have lots more to offer. Double major, and in Zoology at that! I think that was my lowest grade in science, haha! My passion has always been classical music so I'd most likely be in the concert hall watching a night performance before a long exam the next day. My bad! No, I should have studied ahead of time. But then, I wouldn't miss the concert either. ;)

I always had affinity with science people, just like in Uni, we had this 10-pin tourney with sceince studes primarily in maths, botany, bio and physics.

We compliment each other, for while you are more interested in "how things work" I am most interested with the science movers and shapers, or for world shapers for that matter. I've focused on this in my personal life since I was in high school that I can be lost in all encyclopedias, dictionaries, companion books of all these disciplines.

Chemistry came about because family/cousins were primarily maths profs so I thought why not chemistry. I actually started with Chemical Engineering, but them I was the only female and all the cheeky guys in my class used to tease me it was unbecoming of me carrying the heavy drawing board and all that. So, I transferred to BSChem. Then I hardly practiced chem after graduation as I moved into the IT corp world. I had to say my gentle 'bye bye' to my favourite model scientist Madame Curie in silence. ;)

Oh no, you're not "bugging" me, perhaps "jolting" my memory back to science history.

I enjoyed my physics a lot because my professor made things interesting, unlike my terror maths professors esp that one in calculus. No, we don't have that TV program "Numbers" otherwise I won't miss it for anything. I love watching Trivia quizzies, Jeopardy and quizzes like "who want to be a millionaire" on TV.

Sorry, I'm not into landscape design so I can't contribute into your interesting category, but now that you got me enthused, I'll sure be reading your featured pieces. In particular, I enjoyed your "Historic Garden Landscapes" and I'm sure the others will be equally interesting.

Btw, how about an article for the "Great Scientist" of your favourite botanist or zoologist. That'd be terrific Georgene. ;)

Thanks for sharing Georgene, let's do,

Tel

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