Emil von Behring

Emil von Behring (15 March 1854 – 31 March 1917) was a German physiologist who received the 1901 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the first one awarded, for his discovery of a diphtheria antitoxin. He was widely known as a "saviour of children," as diphtheria used to be a major cause of child death. He was ennobled in 1901 for services to medicine.

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Emil Adolf von Behring was born in Hansdorf, Prussia (now Poland). He was the eldest son of a schoolmaster in a large family. His education was supported by the church, and he enrolled at the Army Medical College in Berlin in 1874.

Career[edit | edit source]

After passing the examination, Behring served as a military doctor until 1889, when he became an assistant at the Institute for Infectious Diseases. Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato jointly discovered in 1890 a therapy for diphtheria and tetanus. He went on to develop an antitoxin for diphtheria, which he called "T-antitoxin", following a successful demonstration of its effectiveness in animals and humans.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Behring's name is widely known in connection with the Behring's law of immunity and the Behring's test for the detection of diphtheria antitoxin. His work on diphtheria antitoxin is considered a milestone in the history of medicine and immunology.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Emil von Behring - Facts on NobelPrize.org

Emil von Behring Resources
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