This Case Assignment is in two parts. The first part allows you to learn about the early microbiologists and their contributions to this field of study that is probably responsible for saving more lives and misery among the species on this planet Earth than any other field of study. The second part of this case assignment focuses on a significant outbreak of a disease and how it was eventually controlled.

Part A A national public service radio program and their Web site ran a story on the accomplishments of Edward Jenner. They claimed that he was the greatest microbiologist of all time and that he made the greatest contribution to improving public health of any person. You have taken exception to the story and believe that several others performed much greater and significant discoveries in the field microbiology and public health. You are responding to the online story and associated Blog. In doing so you realize that the author of the Jenner article is a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post. You now believe that you must make a stronger case for several other early scientists in microbiology. For this case assignment you are to write a response to the story contesting the opinion expressed in the article about Edward Jenner. The following criteria must be incorporated into your letter to the editor:

You must select two other scientists whose discoveries in microbiology you believe to be more significant than that of Edward Jenner.

You must discuss the significance of the discoveries of the scientists you support in your letter to the editor.

Your work must be logically written and adequately presented with appropriate facts and, above all, convincing.

Compare the importance of the early work in microbiology to work being conducted today.

Part B For this part of the assignment, please identify an important, historically significant disease epidemic, in the United States or abroad, which caused widespread panic or concern at the time that it occurred. To complete this part of the case assignment you are to do the following:

Describe the organism (pathogen) that was involved in the outbreak/epidemic;

Describe the circumstances that contributed to the outbreak; and,

How the disease was ultimately brought under control.