The world would still be, for the most .
part, completely disease ridden if not for these miracle .
Antiseptic use can be traced back to nearly 500 .
BC, where the Persians were the first to initiate the use of .
chemical disinfections. In ancient days, drinkable water was .
stored in copper pots in order to keep it sterile. Treatment .
to wounds would also involve the application of wines and .
vinegar to the exterior of the wound. In the Dark Ages, the .
Arabs applied mercuric chloride to the injuries of the .
wounded. Sterilization is also referred to in the Bible, in .
the book of Leviticus. The peoples of that time were noted .
for using heat to sterilize their food. (History of .
Antiseptics, 1/10/03).
The most gigantic leap in the advancement of .
antiseptics, however, has occurred within the past five .
centuries. This began with the work of Antoine Van .
Leewenhoek, a Dutch microscopist. With his microscope, .
Leewenhoek first observed microscopic life forms in the .
1650's. Leewenhoek, however, did not realize that these .
microscopic organisms could not spontaneously generate. .
(Microbiology Lecture Notes, 1/10/03).
Francesco Redi, performed an experiment in the early .
18th century regarding spontaneous generation and disproved .
it. This lead to a attempt to discredit his work, a campaign .
spearheaded by Needham, a Welshman from the Royal Society of .
Science in England. Needham also performed experiments .
although they were poorly performed and thus were flawed. .
This, however, led to the work of Louis Pasteur. .
(Microbiology Lecture Notes, 1/10/03).
Louis Pasteur, compelled to disprove the theory of .
spontaneous generation, performed the "swan neck tube .
experiment."" The broth was situated within the swan neck .
tube and air was permitted access to the broth, however, .
microbes were not permitted access to the broth. Louis .
Pasteur had proven that the spontaneous generation theory .
was incorrect. .
"By the middle of the nineteenth century, post-.
