Emil von Behring

In 1890, Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato made a groundbreaking discovery in immunology by developing the diphtheria antitoxin, introducing the concept of passive immunization.

• Diphtheria was a major cause of death among children in the 19th century

• It’s caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which releases a powerful exotoxin that damages tissues, especially in the respiratory tract

The Scientists:

• Emil von Behring (Germany) – A military physician and later a professor

• Shibasaburo Kitasato (Japan) – A bacteriologist who had studied under Robert Koch, the father of bacteriology

The Discovery:

1. Experiment on Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxins

• Behring and Kitasato began by studying tetanus toxin in animals

• They injected small doses of heat-inactivated toxin into animals, which caused them to produce antitoxins (protective substances in the blood—what we now know as antibodies)

• The antitoxins could neutralize the toxins

2. Passive Immunization

• They demonstrated that blood serum from an immunized animal could be transferred to a non-immunized animal to confer immediate protection

• This was the first demonstration of passive immunity—a way to protect someone by giving them ready-made antibodies

3. Application to Diphtheria

• Behring extended this work specifically to diphtheria

• He treated infected animals and, later, human patients using serum from immunized animals

• The results were dramatic: the treatment reduced mortality rates significantly

Impact:

• Behring was awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1901 for this work

• This laid the foundation for serum therapy and the later development of vaccines and modern immunology