The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-06-08
KOCH, THE BAcTERI0L0GIsT


Achievements of Scientist Fsmed For
tuberculosis and Cholera Work.
In the annals of the study of bac-
teriology no name occupies 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. DIR. Koch's entire life ewas
given to painstaking and persevering
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 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 a palliative, not 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 it's 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-
lions carried on in Egypt, in India and
in other Asiatic countries and have
made possible a much more definite
knowledge of epidemic cholera condi-
tons and methods of preventing the
spread of the disease. He went to the
infected 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
imperial 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 ($25,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
infectious diseases in Berlin, he was
made director In 1905 the Nobel prize
for achievements in physiology was
awarded to him.