History of Microbiology By arbryant Period: 1650 to 2000 History of Microbiology 1665 Robert Hooke discovered that all living things were composed of cells 1673 The first microbes were observed 1856 Louis Pasteur discovers microbial fermentation 1858 Rudolf Virchow said cells arise from preexisting cells 1859 Louis Pasteur develops the S-shaped flask 1861 Louis Pasteur demonstrated that microorganisms are present in the air 1862 Louis Pasteur disproves spontaneous generation 1867 Joseph Lister pioneered aseptic surgery 1876 Robert Koch proved that a bacterium causes anthrax and provided Koch's postulates to prove that specific microbes cause specific diseases 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin
