Vol. 43 No. 5 (2026): October
Historic Note

Before Germ Theory: Microbes in Chile, 1850–1880

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  • Catalina Saldaña Lagos
Catalina Saldaña Lagos
ANID - Universidad Alberto Hurtado
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4067/s0716-10182026000500171

Published 2026-10-01

Keywords

How to Cite

1.
Saldaña Lagos C. Before Germ Theory: Microbes in Chile, 1850–1880 . Rev. Chilena. Infectol. [Internet]. 2026 Oct. 1 [cited 2026 Oct. 1];43(5). Available from: https://revinf.cl/index.php/revinf/article/view/2789

Copyright (c) 2026 Catalina Saldaña Lagos

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Abstract

Based on a review and analysis of articles published in Anales de la Universidad de Chile and Revista Médica de Chile during the period under study, this paper examines the local medical landscape prior to the consolidation of the germ theory of disease. By identifying recurring themes in the debate—such as the notion of contagion or ideas regarding the origin and cause of the country's most prevalent diseases—it demonstrates that Chilean physicians were aware of microbes and their potential role in the development of infectious ailments, matters that would later be confirmed by the findings of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch in 1878 and 1882, respectively.

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