Louis Pasteur, an innovative French biologist and chemist, collaborated with his colleagues to disprove widely accepted beliefs regarding the miasma and spontaneous generation theories. Through disputes with scientific opponents, he communicated revolutionary ideas, supporting his views with the experiments that he conducted. His spoken and written communication (academic journals) during the mid-late 1800s changed society's perception of disease that ultimately led to an understanding and acceptance of germ theory, practice of pasteurization, and the adoption of social practices that improved sanitation.