Question

1. What did Paul Ehrlich achieve with his discovery of 606 that was new to the field of microbe hunting? What was the unforeseen aspect of a “magic bullet”?
2. From the time that Leeuwnhoek first saw microbes to the time Ehrlich discovered the cure for a disease caused by a microbe, information was steadily gained. Summarize what the microbe hunters had discovered.
3. How did the microbe hunters use information from former and fellow scientists to help in their individual searches?
4. Although he did little to analyze his findings, Leeuwenhoek’s discoveries under the microscope were the beginning of a new branch of science. Why?
5. How did the beliefs and ideas of Leeuwenhoek and Spallanzani’s day affect their microbe hunting?
6. How did Pasteur’s high-spirited personality aid his microbe research? How did it hinder it?
7. What affect did the discovery of phagocytes and the understanding of immunity have upon microbe research?

Answer 1

Salvarsan, a derivative of arsenic compound was discovered by Paul Ehrlich in 1906. The code name of this drug is 606, since Ehrlich has experimented on 605 compounds till then and it is the 606th compound.
This compound was effective against the infections caused by Syphilis.
Magic bullet is the idea of Paul Ehrlich to kill the specific microbes (that cause diseases) without causing harm to the host body.

Leeuwenhoek is the first person to watch live microbes under microscope. Spallanzani has showed that microbes did not arise spontaneously, instead they arise from the previous existing ones. Louis Pasteur has provided the information about microbes that they cause diseases. Koch has given Koch's postulates. He has introduced the rabies vaccination. Roux has isolated diphtheria toxin and Von Behring introduced the serum therapy. Mechinkoff explained about the role of phagocytes in clearing foreign microbes. Theobald Smith explained that ticks are the spreading agents of Texas fever. Bruce has explained the role of Tsetse fly in spreading trypanosomes. Ronald Ross described the life history of plasmodium, the malarial parasite. Walter Reed discovered that yellow fever is spread by mosquitoes but not by direct contact.
Finally here, the Paul Ehrlich discovered the magic bullet.

Every microbiologist's findings helped the next scientist to find new things in the interest of mankind to give insights for the benefit of man kind.

Leeuwenhoek's discovery of live microbes paved the way for the branch of microbiology. Because, before his discovery, no one was knowing that there are living organisms that are there which cannot be seen by our naked eyes and which causes so many diseases and which give us some benefits also.