How To Academy Podcast Historian of Science Thomas Levenson — How Humans Discovered Germs
Jul 8, 2025
Thomas Levenson, historian of science and author of 'So Very Small,' takes listeners on a captivating journey through the evolution of germ theory. He reveals the monumental shift from miasma beliefs to microbial understanding, showcasing how pioneers like Hooke and Pasteur changed the face of public health. Levenson highlights Cotton Mather's controversial role in promoting smallpox inoculation and discusses the legacy of hand hygiene championed by Semmelweis in maternal health. He stresses the ongoing importance of vaccinations in modern society.
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Appeal of Miasma Theory
- Miasma theory was appealing because it explained disease via 'bad air' linked to filth and decay, fitting both secular and religious views. - It persisted because it was flexible, mechanistic, and seemed to fit observations reasonably well.
Leeuwenhoek's Microbe Discovery
- Antony van Leeuwenhoek was an amateur Dutch cloth merchant who used microscopes to discover a vast unseen microbial world in pond water around 1676. - He sent detailed descriptions and drawings to the Royal Society that fascinated but did not link microbes to disease.
Cotton Mather's Smallpox Fight
- Cotton Mather learned about smallpox inoculation from his African slave Onesimus and supported its use during Boston's 1721 epidemic. - Despite proven successes, he faced strong opposition due to religious and safety fears.
