The German pediatrician Theodor Escherich (1857 - 1911) was the discoverer of the bacterium Escherischia coli. In addition to the discovery of this important model bacterium, Escherich published a lot about the morphology, physiology and cultivation of intestinal bacteria. He also increased the attention of medical help for children.
The German pediatrician Theodor Escherich (1857 - 1911) was the discoverer of the bacterium Escherischia coli. In addition to the discovery of this important model bacterium, Escherich published a lot about the morphology, physiology and cultivation of intestinal bacteria. He also increased the attention of medical help for children.
First a doctor, then a microbiologist
Escherich began his medical training in 1876. In 1881 he qualified as a doctor, he published for the first time in 1882. After 6 months at the military hospital in Munich-Oberwiesenfeld, Germany, Escherich became the first assistant of Professor Carl Gerhardt (1833- 1904). Gerhardt made Escherich realise his interest for pediatrics and bacteriology. For the rest of his life he immersed himself in the world of bacteria and their effect on human health, especially on the health of children.
The discovery of the poo bacterium
In 1884 Escherich moved to Munich to continue to research the effect of gut bacteria and their role in the human intestinal system. Here he learned to cultivate, isolate and identify bacteria. He immersed himself in cultivation and developed his own techniques for evaluating children's gut bacteria. In 1885, Escherich presents his first description of the characteristics of a bacterial population, "Bacterium coli commune". Later this bacterium was named after him and this species became one of the most famous bacteria: Escherichia coli. The publication of this research made Escherich one of the greatest researchers in microbiology of his era. He also further promoted the practice of pediatrics, which until then was not a specialization.