Chamberland filter, France, 1875-1884

Made:
1875-1884 in France
maker:
Louis Pasteur
Chamberland filter used by Pasteur and Chamberland in work on

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Chamberland filter used by Pasteur and Chamberland in work on
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Chamberland filter used by Pasteur and Chamberland in work on anthrax and chicken cholera

This type of filter was invented by Charles Chamberland (1851-1908), a French microbiologist and colleague of Louis Pasteur. Chamberland showed that porous materials such as porcelain, when slightly heated, can keep hold of fine particles in suspension. By placing a piece of porcelain in a glass tube he created a sterilisation process for liquids which worked better than contemporary techniques. It was also useful for purifying water. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) and Chamberland worked together studying chicken cholera and anthrax, two diseases which had had a huge impact on French agriculture, killing large numbers of animals. They used the Chamberland filter in their experiments, which were based on the germ theory of disease.

Details

Category:
Microbiology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A63374
Materials:
flask, glass and filter, pottery
Measurements:
overall: 81 mm x 281 mm x 161 mm, .09kg
type:
filter
credit:
Institut Pasteur