The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-06-08
KOCH, THE BACTERIoLoGIsT
Achievements of Scientist Fsmed For
tuberculosis and Cholera Work.

Achievements of Scientist Fsmed For
| tuberculosis and Cholera Work.
In the annals of the study of bac-
teriology no name occupies a more
illustrious position than that of Pro-
fessor Robert Koch. the famous bac-
teriologist, who died recently at Baden
Baden, Germany.
DR.. Koch was horn at Klausthal.
Hanover, Germany, on Dec. II, 1S43.
He developed and elaborated the dis
coveries and theories of Lister, Pas
teur and others and vastly improved
the methods and technique of bacteri-
illogical investigation until it has be-
come the real science of preventive
medicine. DR.. Koch's entire lifeswas
given to painstaking and persevering
but bold and original research in medi-
cine, particularly in the DEVELOPMENT
and extension of our knowledge of the
disease bearing germs and their be-
havior under all possible conditions af-
fecting human health.
The German doctor visited America
in 1908 after he had completed a year
and half of close study of the "sleep-
Ing sickness" in an island in South At
RIGA. For this strange malady he dis
covered palliative, not a cure.
DR.. Koch's career as an investigator
began after his graduation from Got
tingen in 1866. As early as 1876 he
had isolated the bacillus of the an
thrax. Preventive incubation against
disease by the use of serum or lymph
the development of the Jenner meth
cd of vaccination-is a method which
one might almost say originated with
DR.. Koch. After his discoveries as to
the nature of the bacillus causing an
thrax he devoted himself to the study
of the tuberculosis germ aud to the SO
called comma" bacillus Identified with
the cause of cholera.
1t was by the discovery and use of
tuberculin, popularity known as Koch's
lymph. that his fame became world
wide. This tuberculin, which he pre-
pared in 1891, he himself claimed to be
useful only in pulmonary tuberculosis,
combining its use to the comparatively
early stages of the disease
Koch's investigation and discoveries
with regard to the cholera bacillus
have been the foundation of investiga-
tons carried on in Egypt, in India and
in other Asiatic countries and have
made possible much more definite
knowledge of epidemic cholera condi-
Of
spread of the disease. He went to the
regions, putting his life in
constant danger. Month by month he
worked until he discovered the cholera
bacillus.
Wide and generous recognition of DR..
Koch's scientific achievements has
been given him not only by his own
but by other governments. In 1880 he
became member of the force of the |
health Office at Berlin. Three |
years later he was made privy coun-
cilor, and in 1885 he was appointed |
director of the new hygienic institute |
of the University of Berlin. He went
to Italy, Egypt and India in 1884 as
the head of the German cholera COM
mission and on his return was deco
rated by the emperor and presented |
with 100000 marks (S25,OOO in recog.
milton of his services in discovering the |
cholera bacillus. A year later he went |
to France as the German governments
official cholera commissioner In 1891,
upon the founding of the institute for
diseases in Berlin, he was
made director. In 1905 the Nobel prize
for achievements in physiology was
awarded to him.