William Watson Cheyne and the Advancement of Bacteriology

<p> William Watson Cheyne (1852-1932) a surgeon by training and a student of Joseph Lister was a prominent British bacteriologist who published 60 papers and 13 monographs from 1879 to 1927. A proponent of the idea that bacteriology and medicine were interdependent disciplines he investigated the causes and treatment of wound infections tuberculosis cholera tetanus and gangrene. In 1897 he organized an historical outline of 19th century bacteriology in five landmark periods of discovery each defined by the work of an influential figure. This study documents his contributions to the history of microbiology and describes his activities as a laboratory investigator clinician surgeon translator editor and educator.</p>