Support theMiami Microbiology: About Us
A Brief History of the Department
The first reference to laboratory instruction in the biological sciences at Miami University dates back to the year 1890 and the first mention of bacteria was recorded in May 1896. At that time, laboratory instruction included the preparation of photomicrographs from cover glass impressions and sections of liver from mice infected with Bacillus anthracis. These must have been prepared by Dr. Treadwell who, at that time, was the only faculty member in the biological sciences. Early in the 1900's, short ten-minute "floor talks" dealing with bacteria related to human health problems were listed in the university pamphlets. These brief lectures were given by the faculty in physical education. In 1905, Dr. S.R. Williams, then Professor of Biology, was requested to organize a course in bacteriology. Professor Williams said, shortly before his death, "we just sat on that." Little wonder, since he was the entire staff in biological sciences and there was no equipment of any kind.
Dr. Fink, a student of Dr. Burrill's at Minnesota, was employed to teach Botany in 1906 and a new Department of Botany and Bacteriology was listed for a brief period in the catalog. Although Dr. Fink offered the first organized course in bacteriology, the department discontinued work in bacteriology a few years later after Dr. Fink became interested, almost exclusively, in lichens. Classes in bacteriology were not resumed until about 1920 when a course was offered by the Department of Botany as a service to home economics. Dr. Orton K. Stark joined the Department of Botany in 1929 as an Assistant Professor. He was given the charge to develop a curriculum in bacteriology and to "fill his time" in teaching plant physiology. After six or seven years his teaching and research effort became limited to bacteriology. It was at the end of this period (1935) that the first Master of Arts thesis was completed by Marjorie Allen Montgomery on, The bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties of merphenyl nitrate. Because of modest enrollments and the war, little was done in graduate education in bacteriology until after 1945. Still, during this period, Dr. Stark continued to develop the curriculum and the catalog listed courses such as general bacteriology, bacterial physiology, pathogenic bacteriology and immunology and serology. By 1943 it became necessary to increase the staff to two full-time members: first Nora Wright, Later Dr. Curtis Sandage, and with the advent of the 1950's, Dr. Duane Maunder joined Dr. Stark in teaching bacteriology. When Dr. Stark was on sabbatical leave at the University of Michigan for the 1955-56 academic year, Dr. C.K. Williamson joined Maunder to help with the teaching load. When Dr. Stark returned in 1956, Williamson was retained and the Department of Bacteriology as established with a faculty of three full-time members. In 1962, when Williamson became chairman, the faculty was increased to four members, the others being Dr. Stark, Dr. Robert Brady (1957), and the newest member Dr. Susan Rockwood (1962). The following year, the name of the department was changed from bacteriology to microbiology consistent with such change at the national level.
The department began formal plans to develop a doctoral program in 1964 when it requested an evaluation by the American Academy of Microbiology through the offices of the American Society for Microbiology. Their staffing recommendations contributed to our acquiring the following faculty members: Dr. Ronald Treick (1965), Dr. Ivan Kochan (1967), Dr. Jnanendra Bhattacharjee (1968), Dr. Gearold P. Breidenbach (1970), and Dr. Ted Pass II (1971).