Source A Robert Koch played a crucial role in the development of germ theory
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There would be no effective public health policy in Britain today without the breakthroughs in scientific understanding, medicine and healthcare made possible by a number of key individuals.
Although Edward Jenner (1749–1832) had created the smallpox vaccine he had done so without really understanding how it worked. This was the achievement of Louis Pasteur (1822–95) and Robert Koch (1843–1910), who were crucial in the development of germ theory. Until the mid-nineteenth century miasma theory prevailed and scientists and doctors refused to accept the idea of microorganisms.
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