Bacteriology during the expeditions of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration

Abstract

ABSTRACTDuring the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, nine expeditions are recorded as performing bacteriological research, but for only six were the results published and for one of these, the publication only relates to a single sample. Most of those doing the research were medically qualified though the majority of the research related to the bacteriology of snow, air, seawater and the contents of the alimentary tracts of Antarctic animals rather than clinical bacteriology. This paper discusses the research aims, the difficulties encountered and the broad results.