Question

Explain Cell Theory and the experiments that led it to supplant Spontaneous Generation.

Explain the Germ Theory of disease, give an example of an early experiment that supported it, and explain how it differs from the Miasma Theory of disease.

Thanks!

Answer 1

CELL THEORY

         A scientific historic theory ,now universally accepted that living organisms are made of cells.It was Schleiden and Schwaan who formulated cell theory by 1839 but it was updated by Rudolf virchow in 1855 by theory of omni cellula-e cellula composed the cell theory as

• All living organisms are composed of cells and products of cell
• All cells exist from pre-existing cells

Experiments for spontaneous generation was done by Fransisco reddi ,van helmont,aristotle that flies arise from maggots,creation of mice from dirty shirt after 21 days were some of their experiments which was later dissapproved by swan neck experiments of Louis Pasteur

             Louis Pasteur's pasteurization experiment illustrates the fact that the spoilage of liquid was caused by particles in air rather than air itself.These experiments were important peices of evidences supporting the idea of germ theory of disease.

             The theory that held that the origin of epidemics was due to a miasma , emanating from rotting organic matter . The theory was eventually given up by scientists and physicians after 1880 got displaced by germ theory of disease ;specific germs... not miasma caused diseases