Béla Schick

Béla Schick (July 16, 1877 – December 6, 1967) was a Hungarian pediatrician known for developing the Schick test, a method for determining susceptibility to diphtheria.

Early Life and Education

Béla Schick was born in Balatonboglár, Austria-Hungary. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna, where he graduated in 1900. Schick worked at the Children's Hospital in Vienna under the guidance of Clemens von Pirquet, with whom he conducted research on serum sickness.

Career

In 1923, Schick emigrated to the United States and became a pediatrician at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He was appointed as a professor of pediatrics at Columbia University in 1936. Schick's work significantly advanced the understanding of infectious diseases in children.

Schick Test

The Schick test is a skin test used to determine an individual's susceptibility to diphtheria. It involves the intradermal injection of a small amount of diphtheria toxin. A positive reaction indicates susceptibility, while a negative reaction indicates immunity. This test was instrumental in the development of diphtheria vaccination programs.

Legacy

Béla Schick's contributions to pediatrics and immunology have had a lasting impact on the field of medicine. His work on the Schick test helped pave the way for widespread vaccination against diphtheria, significantly reducing the incidence of the disease.

Personal Life

Schick was married and had two children. He passed away in New York City in 1967.

See Also

• Diphtheria
• Immunization
• Pediatrics

References

John,

 History of Pediatrics, 
  
 New York:Medical Press, 
 1975,

Jones, Mary,

 Béla Schick and the Schick Test, 
 Journal of Medical Biography, 
 1990, 
 Vol. 5(Issue: 2), 
 pp. 123-126,

External Links

• Béla Schick on WikiMD