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Isn't this true of Pasteur and his initial application of vaccines? While he identified the mechanism of inoculation, my understanding is he theorized that it
by klenwell 6y ago
Isn't this true of Pasteur and his initial application of vaccines?
While he identified the mechanism of inoculation, my understanding is he theorized that it was due to the attenuated pathogen outcompeting the virulent one for nutrients rather than due to stimulation of the immune system.
I think I got that from a lecture by a science historian once. This idea seems to be glossed in the Wikipedia article on Pasteur here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Pasteur#Anthrax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Pasteur#Anthrax
Do I have that right?
- belltaco 6y ago>While he identified the mechanism of inoculation, my understanding is he theorized that it was due to the attenuated pathogen outcompeting the virulent one for nutrients rather than due to stimulation of the immune system. How could it outcompete the actual virus if the actual virus isn't there yet at the time of vaccination?
- klenwell 6y agoGood point. Maybe the theory was the attenuated pathogen would consume available nutrients thereby depriving the real pathogen when it arrived?