Louis Pasteur, a French chemist and microbiologist, is credited with pioneering and developing the procedures of disinfection.
In 1862, Pasteur demonstrated that bacteria arise only from pre-existing bacterial cells, disproving the theory of spontaneous generation. This groundbreaking discovery paved the way for understanding how to control and eliminate harmful microorganisms.
While others before Pasteur recognized the importance of cleanliness, his scientific validation of the germ theory of disease, combined with his development of sterilization and pasteurization techniques, firmly established him as the father of disinfection. He created and championed methods to kill microorganisms, which significantly impacted medicine and food preservation.
