Erlich Paul: contribution to science

Erlich Paul is a famous German scientist and doctor, who received the Nobel Prize in 1908 for his work in the field of immunology. In combination he was a chemist and bacteriologist. He became the founder of chemotherapy.

Paul Ehrlich: Biography

The boy was born March 14, 1854 in the city of Stshelen in a family consisting of six people: parents and four children. In addition, he was the youngest child and the only boy. Paul's father was a rich man, as he was engaged in a distillery and had an inn. All children were brought up in strict conditions with observance of Jewish traditions. Already at an early age the boy was carried away by natural science, which served as a modest start for his great achievements.

The famous Karl Weigert (cousin of his mother) was able to contribute to the development of medical and scientific interests in young Paul. The boy studied at the Breslav gymnasium, after which he continued his education in medical schools. Having received his education, Erlich Paul got a job at a Berlin clinic.

The beginning of the path to science

The young scientist spent his first studies on blood cells, staining them with different colors and methods. As a result of his experiments, he discovered various forms of leukocytes, showed the value of the bone marrow for the formation of blood, and was able to find mast cells in connective tissue.

Thanks to the coloring, Paul Ehrlich, whose photo you can see in this article, was able to develop a special method for recognizing tubercle bacilli, which significantly influenced the process of diagnosing this disease in patients.

Scientific insight

Painting the cells, the young scientist witnessed the most grandiose medical discoveries that influenced his future. Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur are scientists, on the basis of the works of which Erlich Paul put forward his theory of combating microbes. While still an inexperienced student, the young man read a book about lead poisoning, which could not leave the boy's mind alone. In this paper, it was said that, when ingested, lead accumulates in certain organs. In addition, it is very simple to prove chemically.

Thus, the young scientist came to the conclusion that it is necessary to search for such substances that will attach to harmful bacteria and bind them. This will help to stop getting into the human body harmful substances. It's hard to believe, but this conclusion led to the scientist's simple paint, which he used purely out of curiosity. He realized that if the paint is able to stick to the fabric and thus color it, it will also be able to attach itself to harmful bacteria and kill them.

Theory of "magic bullet"

In 1878 Erlich Paul became the chief doctor of the Berlin hospital. I was able to develop my own methods of histological research. First he stained bacteria on the glass, then proceeded to the tissues of animals, which were killed by infectious diseases. And one day he introduced a blue dye into the blood of a living rabbit. In the course of such an experiment, the scientist was surprised by the incredible consequences.

Blue was only the brain and nerves. All other fabrics did not change their color. Ehrlich came to the conclusion: if there is a paint capable of staining a certain type of tissue, then there is a substance capable of killing a certain kind of harmful microorganisms. Thanks to such observations, a theory of "magic bullet" arose, implying the entry into a contaminated organism of a substance capable of very quickly killing all the harmful inhabitants.

"Sleeping sickness

Erlich Paul, whose contribution to the microbiology is invaluable, in 1906 became director of the Institute of Experimental Seroterapy. At this time, he was interested in a "sleepy" disease, which killed a large number of Africans at that time. The scientists invented the miraculous medicine "Atoxil", which destroyed trypanosomes, but the person lost sight. Ehrlich Paul found out that this product contains arsenic, which is a real poison.

The main task of the scientist was the invention of such a means, which would kill all the trypanosomes, but did not affect the person. Hundreds of substances were tested, but these microorganisms produced immunity, so the drugs did not fit. However, despite so many disappointments, Paul managed to create a cure for the "sleepy" disease.

Venereal diseases

Such diseases worry humanity for a very long time. In the era of bacteriology, many scientists began to search for pathogens of various diseases, and at that time could find three. First, a bacillus of gonorrhea was found, then a soft chancre and finally syphilis, the causative agent of which is a pale spirochete.

The cure for syphilis

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century intravenous injections only began to appear. In hospitals, they were almost never used. But everything changed after Erlich Paul proposed a medicine that could cure syphilis. There were many attempts to create it, the result was amazing. By the way, using in his scientific experiments chemical substances, the scientist created a new direction in medicine.

The academician proposed to treat syphilis with such substances that during the oxidation begin to form active compounds of arsenic. But, unfortunately, in the course of many trials, it was not possible to completely eliminate its harmful damage.

Unexpected turn of the life

Paul Ehrlich, whose microbiology was a vocation, in 1887 became an assistant professor, and in 1890 - a professor at the university. At the same time he worked at the Robert Koch Institute. In 1888, during one of the laboratory experiments was infected with tuberculosis. Taking his wife and both daughters, he went to Egypt for treatment. But instead of curing one disease, he became ill with diabetes mellitus. When the state of health improved, the family returned to Berlin.

Since 1891 Erlich Paul, whose works became the starting point for most scientists, devoted a lot of time to the selection of chemicals necessary for the treatment of diseases caused by parasites from the outside. His first achievement was a drug based on methylene blue, which was designed to treat four-day malaria. After that he started using many other dyes. During such works, he was the first to notice the addiction of microorganisms to injected drugs. Immunological reactions were established for convalescence.

Nobel Prize

The scientist was the first who put forward the theory of immunity - the body's ability to protect itself from genetically alien bodies. He created the theory of side chains, which plays a very important role in the development of the science of immunology. For this work, the German scientist, together with Mechnikov, received the Nobel Prize in 1908.

Erlich Paul: contribution to science

In 1901, a physician and a scientist with extensive experience begins to deal with the treatment of malignant tumors. He developed a special series of experiments in which he vaccinated tumors to animals, and for the first time could prove that animals have immune reactions that occur after the disappearance of the grafted tumor.

The most important discovery of the scientist was the discovery of unknown mast cells, which play an important role in the formation of immunity. Also, Paul was able to prove that every cell of a living organism that enters into immune responses has special receptors capable of recognizing foreign agents. It was for such discoveries that Erlich Paul received the Nobel Prize.

Ehrlich proved himself in the field of chemistry, as he described reactions of great importance in medicine. For this he received the Liebig medal.

He was a member of seventy scientific world communities and academies. To date, he was named after him: the Institute of Immunological preparations, as well as streets, hospitals, educational institutions, scientific communities and foundations, a prize for scientific discoveries. Also called his crater on the moon.

In 1909, Nicholas II awarded the academician the Order of St. Anne, and also appropriated the title of a real secret adviser. Ehrlich resigned because he could not renounce the Jewish faith.

He was married to a woman who provided the household and financial aspects of his life. Paul was completely immersed in science. I paid no attention to anything else. I could write in any places, beginning with the floor and walls and ending with the hands of interlocutors.

The scientist died on August 20, 1915, from an apoplectic attack in Bad Homburg. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery. In 1933, the Nazis destroyed the monument, but it was restored again.