Robert Koch: biography. Henry Herman Robert Koch is a Nobel laureate in physiology and medicine

Henry Herman Robert Koch is a famous German physician and microbiologist, winner of the Nobel Prize, the founder of modern bacteriology and epidemiology. He was one of the most outstanding scientists of the twentieth century, not only in Germany, but throughout the world. A lot of achievements in the fight against convective diseases, which until his studies remained incurable, became a sharp push in medicine. He did not limit himself to studying one area of knowledge, he did not stop at a breakthrough in one disease. All his life he discovered the secrets of the most dangerous diseases. Thanks to his achievements, an incredible number of human lives were saved, and this is a real confession for the scientist.

Main Achievements

German Koch was a foreign correspondent of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and many other organizations. In the treasury of his achievements there are many works on infectious diseases and the fight against them. He traced and analyzed the direct relationship between the disease and microorganisms. One of his main discoveries is the finding of a pathogen of tuberculosis. He became the first scientist who managed to prove the ability of anthrax to form spores. Studies of several diseases brought the scientist worldwide glory. In 1905, German Koch received the Nobel Prize for his achievements. In addition, he was one of the first persons in the field of public health in Germany.

Childhood

The future world- famous scientist was born in Clausthal-Zellerfeld in 1843. Childhood of the boy - a young naturalist - was relatively easy and carefree. His parents had nothing to do with science, his father worked in the management of mines, and his mother watched the children, who were thirteen people, Robert Koch was third. He very early began to be interested in the surrounding world, his already great interest was still fueled by his grandfather and uncle, who also had an interest in nature. Already in his childhood he collected a collection of insects, mosses and lichens. In 1848 he entered the school. Unlike many children, already knew how to read and write, was very capable. Soon after that, he even managed to enter the gymnasium, where in time he became the best student.

University of

After graduating from high school, the future scientist entered the prestigious University of Goettingen, where he first studied natural sciences, and then began to study medicine. This is one of the universities of Germany, which was famous for the scientific achievements of students. In 1866, Robert Koch received a medical degree. A very important role in the development of interest in medicine and scientific research was played by Koch's university teachers who, from the very beginning of their studies, tried to instill in a capable student a love not only for medicine but also for science.

Carier start

A year after graduation, Koch married, from this marriage a daughter was born. In the early days of his career, Koch wanted to become a military or ship's doctor, but he did not have this opportunity. Koh along with his family moved to Rakvyc, where he began to work in a clinic for the insane. The unhappy start to a career, but it was only a starting point, in fact the birth of a great scientist. A clever and capable worker liked the local doctors. Very quickly, being a simple assistant, he gained confidence and became a doctor. So began the career of Robert Koch. Biography shows that he worked so only three years, since the Franco-Prussian War began, and he had to go to the front as a field doctor.

War

At the front, Koch Robert went voluntarily, even despite his rapidly weakening vision. During the war, he managed to gain a serious experience in the treatment of infectious diseases. He cured a lot of people from cholera and typhoid fever, which were very common during the war period. During his stay at the front, Koch also studied large microbes and algae under a microscope, which became a significant advance for him in microphotography and his scientific developments.

anthrax

After the demobilization, Koch and his family moved to Wolshtein (now Wolsztyn, Poland), where he worked as a simple orderly. After his wife gave him a microscope for his birthday, he abandoned private practice and completely switched to scientific research. All the time he spent at the microscope, many hours day and night.

Soon he noticed that many animals in this region are sick with anthrax. This disease affected mostly cattle. The sick individuals suffered from problems with the lungs, lymph nodes and carbuncles. For his experiments, Koch developed a huge number of mice so that an anthrax bacillus would reveal his secrets to him. With the help of his wife's gift, he managed to single out a single stick, which turns into millions of similar ones.

Studying the wand

For a long time the scientist did not stop the experiments, he proved that the wand is the only cause of anthrax. He also managed to prove that the distribution of the disease is interrelated with the life cycle of the bacterium itself. It was Koch's work that proved that the anthrax was caused by a bacterium, before that very little was known about the origin of the disease. In 1877-1878, German scientists - Robert Koch with the help of his colleagues - published several articles devoted to this problem. In addition, he wrote an article on the methods that he used in his laboratory studies.

Immediately after the publication of his works, Koch became a prominent scientist, on the horizon the Nobel medicine medicine already appeared. A few years later, he published another work on the growth of microbes in solid media, this was a fundamentally new approach and an important breakthrough in the study of the world of bacteria.

Koch and Pasteur

German scientists often competed, but in Germany Koch was no equal, Pasteur was a genius French microbiologist, and Koch put his work into question. Koch even published reviews that frankly criticized Pasteur's research on anthrax. For several years scientists have been unable to reach a consensus, they confronted both personally and in their works.

Tuberculosis

After successful studies of anthrax, Koch decided to start studying tuberculosis. This was an extremely urgent issue, since then every seventh German resident died of this disease. Scientists, Nobel laureates, doctors only laughed, believing that tuberculosis is transmitted by inheritance and it is impossible to fight it. The treatment at that time consisted of walks in the fresh air and proper nutrition.

Study of tuberculosis

Very quickly, Koch achieved incredible success in studying tuberculosis. He took from the dead tissues for research, which he painted and studied for a long time under a microscope to determine what actually caused the disease. Soon he noticed the sticks, which he tested in a nutrient medium and guinea pigs. Bacteria quickly multiply and kill the carrier. This was an incredible breakthrough in microbiology. In 1882, Koch published his work on this subject. The Nobel Prize was getting closer.

The study of cholera

Koch did not manage to complete his studies to the end, on instructions from the government, he went to Egypt and India to fight cholera. After another period of prolonged research, the scientist was able to determine the microbe that causes the disease. The remarkable discoveries that Koch Robert has made have become a real breakthrough in medicine. He was appointed responsible person, who determines the methods of fighting many other infectious diseases.

Professors and new research on tuberculosis

In 1885, Koch was appointed professor at the University of Berlin. In addition, he received the post of director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases. Returning home from India, he again began to study tuberculosis and achieved significant success. Five years later, in 1890, Koch reported that he had found a way to treat the disease. He managed to find a substance called tuberculin (it is produced by a tuberculosis bacillus), but the drug did not bring much success. He caused an allergic reaction and was harmful to patients. Although after a while it was noticed that with the help of tuberculin it is possible to diagnose tuberculosis, it became an important discovery, which was appreciated by physiology and medicine. The Nobel Prize was awarded to Koch in 1905. In his speech, the scientist said that these were only the first, but very important steps in the fight against tuberculosis.

Awards

The Nobel Prize did not become the sole achievement of the scientist. He was awarded the Order of Honor, which was issued by the German government. In addition, like many other Nobel laureates, Koch received an honorary doctorate, was a member of many scientific communities. A year before receiving the Nobel Prize, Koch left his post at the Institute of Infectious Diseases.

In 1893, Koch broke up with his wife, and then married a young actress.

In 1906, he led an expedition to Africa, aimed at combating sleepy illness.

The famous scientist Baden-Baden died in 1910 from a heart attack.

One of the craters of the volcano was named in his honor in 1970.

Results

Koch was a real scientist, he loved his work and engaged in it despite all the difficulties and dangers. After receiving a diploma in medicine, he moved to the path of research of infectious diseases, and, judging by his great successes, he did it for good reason. If he was only engaged in private practice, he would never have managed to make so many discoveries and save a huge number of lives. This is a great biography of a great man who laid his life on the altar of science. He succeeded in what no one could do, and only hard work and faith in knowledge helped him on this difficult path, the way of knowing the secrets of the human body.