By Ain Nabilah ZakariaÂ
GOMBAK, 27 March 2021: Students were given an exposure to the germs theory as the root cause of diseases following a talk/exhibition programme hosted by the Department of History and Civilisation in collaboration with Histforium last Thursday (25 March).
The event, among others, aimed at providing students with a platform to showcase their knowledge on history and improve their public speaking skills.
Enlightening the audience on the historical development of medicine, Mirzan Mazwan, who is from the education and exhibition bureau of Histforium 2021, described germs or pathogens as commonly spread through direct or indirect contact and air.
Mirzan further described that being invisible, these microorganisms hold a great power to infect people in silence.
He also mentioned how fascinated he was to learn how a tiny organism can actually be the cause of fatal and severe illnesses to humanity. Mirzan has showed great interest in the modern history of medicine.
The talk largely focused on the discussion of germs theory as the root cause of diseases while highlighting a few prominent figures in the field of microbiology and medication.
He said once the germs find a suitable place for them to live, they will multiply rapidly. Aside from that, another interesting fact about germs is that they have their own uniqueness.
The history of germ theory, according to Mirzan, can be traced back since ancient time as it was proposed by Islamic physicians like Ibn Sina in his masterpiece, Qanun fil Tibb (The Canon of Medicine).
He further said that later Robert Koch, a German physician and a microbiologist, discovered the four basic criteria to identify pathogens.
The physician concluded that the pathogens must be found in abundance from the patients suffering illness, according to Mirzan.
He continued saying that Kochs postulates had given a clear insight on the connection between microbes and diseases. “In addition, his finding is noted to be one of the most remarkable achievement in the history of medicine.”
A number of other scientists later on indulged themselves in the study of microorganisms to identify more virus and bacteria that causes diseases, Mirzan added.
Continuing on his talk, Mirzan said the germ theory was improvised in the era of the modern world and developed by Louis Pastuer in 1860s. “Up until these days, this theory has been scientifically accepted by society to be used as the main source in the study of diseases.”
In the talk, the speaker also reminded the audiences on how humans benefitted from the germs theory. “One of the significant proofs is the invention of vaccines to cure infectious diseases,” Mirzan said.
Conducted through Google Meet the talk provided audiences with insightful information on the germs theory which he described as the foundation of diseases.***