Robert Koch

Question 1

Doings of Koch

Answer 1

• Built on Pasteur’s theory and proved it
• Aided by technology (e.g. microscopes, dyes and petri dishes) and Franco-Prussian War.

Question 2

Significance of Koch.

Answer 2

• Identified specific germs that caused specific diseases (e.g. Anthrax, tuberculosis and diphtheria)
• Inspired hunt for “magic bullets” medicines like Paul Ehrlich and Sahachiro Hata
• Developed vaccines.
• Doctors could now focus on the disease rather than symptoms.
• Improved study of microbes (e.g. pioneered use of dyes to stain microbes and developed methods to grow microbes).

Question 3

Insignificance of Koch.

Answer 3

• Some of his vaccines were ineffective.

Question 4

Time of Koch’s impact.

Answer 4

1882-3 or early 1880s