Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-27
ROBERT KOCH

ROBERT KOCH
Great Man Who Contributed to Easing
Of Worlds Pain.
Bacteriology became the real science
of preventive medicine In the last CEN
tury. And bacteriologists, quite natur-
ally, have been the most distinguished
figures in the medical world since Jen-
ner's pioneer work. Pasteur and Lis
ter followed as epoch leaders and later
Robert Koch.
Doctor Koch's entire life was given
to persevering and original research in
medicine, particularly in the develop
ment and extension Of the worlds
knowledge Of the disease bearing germs.
His discoveries, Of incalculable value
to every nation, will keep his name an
honored one for all ages.
He was born in Clausthal, Hanover,
Germany, in 1S4S, and was graduated
in medicine from the University Of
Gottingen in 1866. Then for fourteen
years he was private and district ply
sician in several small villages. During
this time, especially while at Wollstein,
he began his experiments in bacteri-
ology which afterward brought him a
worldwide fame.
But the most valuable contribution
to medical history made by Doctor
Koch, and the one the world remem-
bers him for was in connection with
tuberculosis. In March, 1882, he pre-
sented before the Berlin Physiological
society communication on the etiolo-
gy Of tuberculosis, in which he detail
ed the results Of his Investigations In
regard to the causation Of tuberculosis
and described the tubercle bacillus.
1.-The problem then solved" wrote DR..
Hermann NJ. Biggs twenty years later,
"was Of greater Importance to human
ity and far more reaching In its effects
on scientific medicine than any single
one since presented or likely to fol-
low" It placed tuberculosis definitely
in the class Of infectious and prevent
able diseases and resulted in removing
the belief of hereditary transmission of
the disease.
Doctor Koch became a world figure
as soon as his paper circulated among
the medical men Of other nations. Ger
many honored him by appointing him
as head Of a commission to investigate
Lie oL4
was forced to delay his work on phth-
isis. The cholera commission went to
India and Egypt and all along the trade
routes between those countries and
Germany. For two years the German
scientists studied and investigated.
Their report was given to the world
and was the first big stride toward
wiping out what had been the most
dreaded scourge in the tropics.
In 1890 came Doctor Koch's an
nouncement Of the separation from
the cultures Of the tubercle bacillus OF
substance called by him tuberculin'-
the so-called Koch lymph-which has
specific influence on the tuberculous
processes He maintained that In IA
vorable cases the use Of this remedy In
a prescribed way would produce
healing Of the diseased issues. This
announcement, partly because it was
by the discoverer Of the tubercle bac-
cillus, created a profound sensation
both in lay and medical circles in Eu-
rope and America. The conclusion
was drawn, and, 1t afterward proved,
too hastily, that at last a specific for
the cure Of the disease most fatal to
the human race had been found. Doc
tors, scientists and afflicted persons
fiocked to Berlin by the thousands. Ex-
travagant hopes as to the value Of tu-
berculin were held.
Doctor Koch reiterated his state
ments Of a few months previous. Tu-
berculin was not specific, rather an
aid in diagnosis. Its curative proper
ties were valuable only in pulmonary
tuberculosis, confining its use to the
comparatively early stages Of the dis
ease. The remedy soon fell into unde-
served popular discredit, owing to its
FREQUENT use in unsuitable cases, its
administration in too large doses and
the neglect Of certain precautions
which Doctor Koch had failed to en-
phasize. Improperly used, the tubercu-
lin was found to do much more harm
than it did good when properly used.
For several years the use Of tubercu-
lin almost stopped. Then it's value was
rediscovered and doctors generally be-
gan to use 1t.
Doctor Koch was the first to pro-
pound the theory that mosquitoes car
ry malaria. Had he not explained the
clinging, insidious habits Of germs the
swat the fly" movement might have
been yet unborn. He also taught the
world much of what it knows about
tuberculosis. Roosevelt called him the
master Of tuberculosis" when Doctor
Koch visited the White House. In
short, Doctor Koch developed and ella
borated the discoveries and theories Of
Lister and Pasteur to an extent those
men probably never dreamed of. He
vastly improved the method and tech
niaue of meteorological investigation
until it has become the real science Of
preventive medicine. 1t may be said
that he "popularized the germ"