The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-12
DIR. KocH's YOUTH.
Even AS a Boy the Discoverer OF the
Magic Lymph showed Genius.
From an interview with his brother, Arnold

Even AS Boy the Discoverer OF the
Magic Lymph showed Genius.
From an interview with his brother, Arnold
Koch.
DIR. Robert Koch was born in ClausthaI
Hanover, in 1871, and is the third son of
thirteen children, of whom the i.rst nine
successfully were boys. According to the
law of Hanover, whore he was born. when
q mother gives birth to seven male chill
dren IN succession the king must be god
father to the seventh, and the mother re-
ceives an elegant silver present from the
government. Our parents were Herman
and Mathilda Koch. Our father was q
distinguished mining engineer and super
lntendent OF mines in the Hartz mount
ans, in the employ of the Hanoverian
government.
From his earliest years Robert Koch
gave promise of that distinction to which
he has attained. While his other brothers
spent their leisure time in Lshing and
hunting, he devoted the hours to study
and observation, one of his favorite
pastimes being to study lichens and MOSES
under a microscope, which he had long be-
sought father to buy him. At the age of
IL he had completed the course of the High
school at Clausthal, Hanover, having
done double work in his classes.
He was unable TO enter the Univer-
sity of Goettingen, although abund-
law of that institution making it q requis-
lite for admission that the student should
have attained his eighteenth year. He
was thus kept back from the university for
one year, although fully prepared to enter.
On reaching the age of Is he entered the
University of Goettingen, and began the
study of medicine course covering four
years of study
When he had been in the university but
two years a prize of so thalers in gold was
offered to the students of all the faculties
of the university for the best essay. The
student was to select the subject from his
own department. Although only in the
second year OF his course, Robert carried
the prize away from students who were in
the fourth year of their course. After In
ishing his medical course in Goettingen in
1866, ne went to Hanover, and stood his
examination before the authorities for ad-
mission to practice in that place. He To-
Gated at Posen, and began the practice of
medicine as regular physician.
While at Posen he wrote q number of
articles on the spleen, and began those in
vestigations on bacteria which have since
made him famous. At the outbreak
of the Franco-Prussian war he offered
his services TO the government.
He served throughout that SAN
culinary struggle, and at its conclusion
again retired to Posen. While there he
profession of Germany by his writings
on bacteria, and in 1882 was called to
Berlin and appointed a member of
the board of health. When the
cholera broke out in India and Egypt, the
German government sent him to Egypt to
ascertain what steps could be taken to stay
the ravages of the epidemic and prevent
its spreading to Europe. Not satisD cd with
his Investigations in Egypt, he asked and
obtained the permission of his government
to go to India, where he might more fully
prosecute his researches. While there he
announced his theory that cholera was due
to bacteria. His theories were bitterly
fought by the English physicians in India,
but Robert proved by microscopic exami-
nations of the bodies of those afflicted with
the cholera that he was correct. On his
return to Berlin he was received like con-
queror, and the reichstag voted him 100000
marks in recognition of the eminent SER
vices which he had rendered to science.