From Observing Little Animalcules to Detecting Fastidious Bacteria

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Breedlove, Byron ; Partin, Clyde
• Description:
  Jan Verkolje (1650–1693), Portrait of Anthonie van Leeuwenhoek, Natural Philosopher and Zoologist in Delft (detail), 1680–1686. Oil on canvas, 22 in x 18.7 in/56 cm × 47.5 cm. Public domain image courtesy of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  
  Pictured on this month’s cover is a portrait of An- thonie van Leeuwenhoek (sometimes spelled Antony or Antoni), born October 24, 1632, in Delft, the Netherlands, and among the earliest observers of bacteria. A brief biography on the University of California Museum of Paleontology website de- scribes Leeuwenhoek as “an unlikely scientist” who “succeeded in making some of the most important discoveries in the history of biology.” During his younger years, he received no advanced education that would presage his future scientific accomplishments. Leeuwenhoek became a fabric merchant and ran a haberdashery in Delft, where he also held several appointed positions as a surveyor and as a mi- nor city official. At age 16, Leeuwenhoek moved to Amsterdam for 6 years, where, according to infectious disease specialist Robert P. Gaynes, he “became acquainted with Jan Swammerdam, a man known in later years to have fashioned early microscopes. ”In the course of his work, Leeuwenhoek used a simple microscope to inspect fabrics used in his drapery and clothing business.
  
  
• Subjects:
  About The Cover Microscopy
• Keywords:
  About The Cover Anthonie Van Leeuwenhoek Antimicrobial Resistance Art And Science Bacteria Bacterial Pathogens Biology Fastidious Bacteria From Spontaneous Generation To Animalcules To Fastidious Bacteria Genomic Sequencing Infectious Diseases Jan Verkolje Microscopes Natural Philosopher And Zoologist In Delft Portrait Of Anthonie Van Leeuwenhoek

  More +
• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 2024; 30(1):208-210
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC10756362
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Name as Subject:
  Leeuwenhoek, Antoni van,‏ ‎1632-1723
• Genre:
  About the Cover
• Volume:
  30
• Issue:
  1
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:174da144d951f4e2a48ea31be63735ce9cfc0809d804641f54dc5f188e675790
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/140597/cdc_140597_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.18 MB ]