_______________________________________________________________________Life Scientists

Louis
Pasteur
Bacteriologist _________________________________________
Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822, in Dole, France.

As a student, Louis Pasteur was not exceptional but he was meticulous and thoughtful. When he placed
fifteenth among twenty-two in the entrance examination for l’École Normale in Paris, he did not want to
enter with such a low score. One year later he tried again and received the fourth highest score on the
entrance exam.

While attending l’École Normale, Pasteur studied crystals which are solids with regular, flat sides. His
studies led to a new branch of science called stereochemistry, which deals with the arrangement of
chemical molecules in three dimensions.

In 1856, members of a winery called on Pasteur to help them with a fermentation problem. Sometimes
the process went well, but at other times the resulting alcohol soured. Pasteur studied samples of the
fermenting sugar-beet juice and discovered that the yeast cells were alive, not dead as previously
believed. He found a way to use heat to kill harmful microbes. This process is called pasteurization in his
honor. Today the method is used to predict and preserve many foods including milk and milk products.

Next, in 1878, Pasteur set out to track down the microbe that caused chicken cholera. With much
experimentation, he was able to develop a vaccination to inject in hens and protect them from disease. He
turned next to combatting anthrax, a dangerous disease of cattle and sheep. With the successful
production of an anthrax vaccine, Pasteur began studying rabies, the deadly disease contracted by humans
when bitten by mad dogs. This study, too, was met with success.

In 1887, Pasteur suffered a stroke which affected his speech, but not his work. Twelve years later, a
second stroke proved fatal. Louis Pasteur died on September 28, 1895.

#493 Focus on Scientists © Teacher Created Resources, Inc.

Louis Pasteur __________________________________________________________Life Scientists

Suggested Activities
1. Grow Crystals. Louis Pasteur spent years studying crystals. Establish that some common crystals
are salt, sugar, ice, diamonds, rubies, and quartz. Students will be able to grow their own crystals in
the following experiments.

Lacy Salt Crystals

Materials: 3 tablespoons (45 mL) salt; 1⁄2 cup (118 mL)
water; wide-mouthed jar; black construction paper;
scissors
Procedure: Pour the water into the jar and add the salt;
stir. Cut a 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) wide strip of construction
paper about half as tall as the jar. Press the strip on the
inside of the jar (see diagram). Leave the jar undisturbed
for three or four weeks. Observe daily.

Needle Crystals
Materials: saucer; sheet of dark colored construction paper; two tablespoons (30 mL) epsom salt;
water; plastic container with lid; scissors KIT
Procedure: Fill the plastic container half full of water. Add the epsom salt, secure the lid, and shake
vigorously sixty times. Let stand. With the scissors, cut a construction paper circle to fit inside the
saucer. Pour the salt solution over the paper (be careful not to pour out any undissolved salt). Store
in a warm place; wait several days.
2. Crystallized Ink. Students will enjoy writing messages with
shiny crystals. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
(180 degrees Celsius). Prepare a mixture of three teaspoons
(15 mL) of salt to one-fourth cup (60 mL) of water (students
may prepare their own in clean, plastic margarine cups). Dip
an art brush into the saltwater and write messages on black
construction paper. Be sure to stir the solution before writing
each and every letter. Turn off the oven and immediately
place the paper on the top rack of the oven. Remove after
about five minutes.
3. Instant Fermentation. Add two tablespoons (30 mL) of vinegar to a glass of milk; stir and allow the
mixture to sit. After a few minutes observe what happened. (Lumps, called curd, begin to form.)

Teacher References ____________________________________

Asimov, Issac. Asimov’s Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Doubleday & Company, 1964.
Berger, Melvin. Famous Men of Modern Biology. Thomas Y. Crowell, 1968.
Meadows, Jack. The Great Scientists. Oxford University Press, 1987.
Student Reading
Bains, Rae. Louis Pasteur. Troll Associates, 1985.
Greene, Carol. Louis Pasteur: Enemy of Disease. Children’s Press, 1990.
Tames, Richard. Louis Pasteur. Franklin Watts, 1990.

© Teacher Created Resources, Inc. #493 Focus on Scientists