Alfred Francois Donné (1801-78): a pioneer of microscopy, microbiology and haematology.
Alfred François Donné is widely known in the scientific community as the discoverer of Trichomonas vaginalis, since he was the first to illustrate the parasite that later was recognized to cause vaginal infections. However, his other, less-known findings are equally important: he was also the inventor of the photoelectric microscope, with the assistance of his student Léon Foucault, as well as the first to apply photography to microscopic preparations (Daguerreotype). His research in microscopy extended to almost all human fluids that could be investigated and culminated in his famous Atlas, which was illustrated with numerous photographs. Donné was also the first to describe the microscopic appearances of leukaemia based on blood preparations acquired from patients. Finally, his work in the hygiene of child upbringing and nutrition is very significant.
Diamantis
Aristidis
A
Department of Cytopathology in Naval Hospital of Athens and Office for the Study of the History of Hellenic Naval Medicine, Athens, Greece.
Magiorkinis
Emmanouil
E
Androutsos
George
G
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006405:Hematology / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000097:blood / Q000266:history; D008829:Microbiology / Q000266:history*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000266:history*; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000266:history / Q000469:parasitology; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification