Making germs real : germs, the germ sciences, and the British workplace, c.1880-1940
This thesis looks at the impact of germ theories of disease on the British workplace from c.1880-1940. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which bacteriological knowledge was translated across different institutional boundaries. Through a careful reconstruction of how workers gained access to new understandings about germs via a combination of both formal and informal learning, I show how different pedagogical contexts presented a variety of opportunities and methods for workers to make sense of the effect of microbes on their working lives. In particular I show how germs were presented through familiar science narratives, and that the familiar germ subsequently appeared in a variety of guises to demonstrate to British workers the value of new types of microbial management, or germ work. Examining the strengths and weaknesses of these new bacillocentric narratives is in turn critical to understanding the subsequent successes and failures of the bacteriological sciences as they operated beyond the walls of the laboratory. Incorporating previous concerns into how the British medical practitioners began to understand and incorporate bacteriology into their working lives through 'germ practices', the following
Newman, Laura Casey
Making germs real : germs, the germ sciences, and the British workplace, c.1880-1940. This thesis looks at the impact of germ theories of disease on the British workplace from c.1880-1940. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which bacteriological knowledge was translated across different institutional boundaries. Through a careful reconstruction of how workers gained access to new understandings about germs via a combination of both formal and informal learning, I show how different pedagogical contexts presented a variety of opportunities and methods for workers to make sense of the effect of microbes on their working lives. In particular I show how germs were presented through familiar science narratives, and that the familiar germ subsequently appeared in a variety of guises to demonstrate to British workers the value of new types of microbial management, or germ work. Examining the strengths and weaknesses of these new bacillocentric narratives is in turn critical to understanding the subsequent successes and failures of the bacteriological sciences as they operated beyond the walls of the laboratory. Incorporating previous concerns into how the British medical practitioners began to understand and incorporate bacteriology into their working lives through 'germ practices', the following
making real science british workplace look_impact theory disease british workplace particular_attention_pay way knowledge translate across_different institutional boundary careful reconstruction worker gain_access new_understanding via combination formal_informal learning show different pedagogical context present variety opportunity methods worker make_sense effect work life particular show present familiar science narrative familiar subsequently appear variety guise british worker value new_type microbial management work examining strength weaknesses new narrative turn critical subsequent successes failure science operate beyond wall laboratory incorporating previous concern british medical_practitioner begin incorporate work life practice follow