She invented, but... Who is Fanny Hesse?

She was born in New York in 1850 to a Dutch mother and father. Despite her contribution to the science of microbiology, she does not have a science background. It is known that German microbiologist Robert Koch worked as an unpaid assistant, illustrator, and cook for her husband, Walther Hesse, a laboratory technician.

The story of the invention:

From the year 1881. While her husband was culturing bacteria in Petri dishes, she realized that she was stuck. She tried to create a gelatin-based culture medium to grow the bacteria she cultured. However, during the cultivation process, gelatin was beginning to become liquid due to the substances produced by the bacteria and the high temperatures during incubation.

Fanny Hesse (born Angelina Fanny Eilshemius, June 22, 1850 – December 1, 1934) is best known for her work in microbiology alongside her husband, Walther Hesse. Following her initial suggestion of using agar as an alternative to gelatin, they were instrumental in pioneering agar's usage as a common gelling agent for producing media capable of culturing microorganisms at high temperatures.

The process of cultivating bacteria on potato slices was also unsuccessful. Since Fanny was also a cook, she knew that agar, which has a gelatinous structure obtained from red algae (cell walls), was better than gelatin in creating a bacterial culture medium, thanks to the experience and experience she gained there. As a matter of fact, it has been determined that agar is resistant to high temperatures and is not easily digested by bacteria. Thanks to Fanny's foresight, Koch was able to isolate and grow the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. But Fanny Hesse was never credited for her discovery.

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Fanny Hesse - the woman who made microbiology possible

https://www.transmissible.eu/a-day-to-remember-fanny-hesse/