Contents
Books
Robert Koch : a life in medicine and bacteriology /
by Brock, Thomas D
Robert Koch’s story is a stirring example of how a lone country doctor can rise above all odds to become a true scientific revolutionary. Winner of the Nobel Prize in 1905, Koch is best known today for his discoveries of the causal agents of tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax. His vital contributions to microbiological methodology also make him the founder of the field of.
Germ theory : medical pioneers in infectious diseases /
by Gaynes, Robert P.
From Hippocrates to Lillian Wald-the stories of scientists whose work changed the way we think about and treat infection. * Describes the genesis of the germ theory of disease by a dozen seminal thinkers such as Jenner, Lister, and Ehrlich. * Presents the “inside stories” of these pioneers struggles to have their work accepted, which can inform strategies for tackling current crises in infectious diseases and motivate and support todays scientists. * Relevant to anyone interested in microbiology, infectious disease, or how medical discoveries shape our modern understanding. Contains a chapter on Robert Koch.
Articles
Blevins, S., & Bronze, M. (2010). Robert Koch and the ‘golden age’ of bacteriology. International Journal Of Infectious Diseases: IJID: Official Publication Of The International Society For Infectious Diseases, 14(9), e744-e751.
Robert Koch’s discovery of the anthrax bacillus in 1876 launched the field of medical bacteriology. A ‘golden age’ of scientific discovery ensued. A century after Koch’s death, we remember his life and work.
Christoph, G. (n.d). Robert Koch and the invention of the carrier state: tropical medicine, veterinary infections and epidemiology around 1900. Studies In History And Philosophy Of Biol & Biomed Sci, 41(The cell as nexus: connections between the history, philosophy and science of cell biology), 232-240.
This paper reassesses Robert Koch’s work on tropical infections of humans and cattle as being inspired by an underlying interest in epidemiology. Such an interest was developed from the early 1890s when it became clear that an exclusive focus on pathogens was insufficient as an approach to explain the genesis and dynamics of epidemics. Koch, who had failed to do so before, now highlighted differences between infection and disease and described the role of various sub-clinical states of disease in the propagation and—consequently—in the control of epidemics.
Tyagi, F. S. (2006). The Timeless Legacy of Robert Koch. Resonance: Journal Of Science Education, 11(9), 20-28.
The article profiles German physician and scientist Robert Koch. Background on his family and education are presented. Details of his efforts to research about anthrax are offered. Several techniques developed by Koch and that were instrumental in establishing bacteriology as an experimental science are cited.
Zetterström, R. (2006). Robert Koch (1843–1910): Investigations and discoveries in relation to tuberculosis. Acta Paediatrica, 95(5), 514-516.
The article focuses on several discoveries of Robert Koch, known as the founder of clinical bacteriology, in relation to tuberculosis. Koch received a Nobel Prize for his discoveries during a period of about 30 years. In the year 1876, he detected the aetiology of anthrax, which at that was a common condition in domestic animals, was his first scientific contribution and was welcomed by veterinarians. In the 1877-1884, he developed methods for staining and photographing bacteria, classified bacterial infections, described how to grow bacterial colonies in solid substrate, and discovered the bacterial aetiology of cholera. Furthermore, he discovered that pulmonary tuberculosis is caused by an infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosae.