DEATH OF PROFESSOR KOCH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7140, 30 May 1910, Page 7

DEATH OF PROFESSOR KOCH

FAMOUS BACTERIOLOGIST. . By Tcloffrapli-’-Prcaa Association—Copyright. (Received May 2D, “5 p.m.) BERLIN, May 23. Professor Koch died of heart disease at Baden Baden, ’where ho was taking tho waters. Professor Robert Koch was one of tho most eminent bacteriologists in the world, and was widely known for his researches in tho realm of germs. He was# born at Klanthal, Hanover, in ]£43, and took his medical degree at Gottingen. His first appointment was that of assistant surgeon in the General Hospital in Hamburg. Ho began his bacteriological investigations when district surgeon at Wallstein, and in 1830 ho was appointed a member of the Imperial Board of Health. In 18S2 he astonished tho world by announcing the discovery of means of isolating tubercle bacilli, and produced tuberculosis by inoculating animals. He was then appointed a Gorman t privy Councillor, and was given direction of the German Cholera Commission which visited India and Egypt. He received a gift of ,25000 for his services. Then, at the request of his Government, Dr Koch made scientific expeditions to the South of Franco in connection with cholera; to South Africa to study the cattle plague, rinderpest; to India in connection with bubonic plague; and to East Africa, the Dutch Indies, New Guinea, Italy, and Istria in connection with malaria. In July, 1001, Dr Koch attended tho British Congress on tuberculosis held in London, and received the Harben modal for 1000 (which had. been conferred on only three previous recipients), in recognition of his eminent services to medical science and the public health. It was at this congress that Dr Koch stated., as the result of his investigations, that, though small animals hko rabbits and gnmoapigs are very susceptible to tho disease when inoculated with bacilli from consumptive human beings, yet cattle, pigs, and other large animals do not develop tho disease when so inoculated. From this, and other small tacts, lie concluded that the tuberculosis affecting human beings and that affecting cattle are different diseases, duo to two bacteria so nearly related as to bo indistinKuislialilo from one another, aim that infection from tuberculous meat and milk need not ho guarded against. Of course, this and other discoveries bv Dr Koch aroused much discussion and not a little controversy. During more recent years Dr Kooli had bent his ciant intellect towards the discovery of a cure for that dread African disease known us sleeping sickness.