New Tools for Detecting Disease
The discoveries of the 19th century inspired a generation of microbe hunters, who tracked down the causes of syphilis, diphtheria, typhoid fever, malaria, and other diseases. Microscopes were essential research tools: improvements in magnification and new techniques for staining specimens made it possible to identify and see inside disease-causing microbes.
Beyond traditional light microscopes, an array of instruments enables researchers to analyze microbes and devise ways to combat them. Electron microscopes, for example, magnify objects hundreds of thousands of times—enough to see tiny viruses. Other techniques let researchers take microbes apart to understand their inner workings. By helping us understand a disease, these methodologies may lead to improved vaccines and more effective treatments.
