This deep dive covers Koch: Identifying Specific Germs within Germ Theory for GCSE History. Revise Germ Theory in Medicine Through Time for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 16 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🧠 Koch: Identifying Specific Germs
| Year | Discovery | Method |
|---|---|---|
| 1876 | Identified anthrax bacterium | Grew cultures, injected into mice, observed same germ in sick mice |
| 1878 | Proved germs cause disease (not just decay) | Photographed bacteria, developed staining techniques |
| 1882 | Identified tuberculosis bacterium | Used new staining methods to see TB germs |
| 1883 | Identified cholera bacterium | Studied cholera outbreaks in Egypt and India |
Practice questions for Germ Theory
In which year did Louis Pasteur publish his Germ Theory?
What did Pasteur's swan-neck flask experiment disprove?
Quick recall flashcards
When did Pasteur publish Germ Theory?
1861
What is Germ Theory?
The theory that specific microorganisms (germs/bacteria) cause specific diseases — published by Pasteur in 1861