Emil von Behring was born in 1854 in Hansdorf, now in Poland. He was one of the founders of immunology. He received the first Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on serum therapy and its use in the treatment of diphtheria.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease which is spread by contact or through the air. It was once considered to be fatal, especially among children.
In 1889, Behring became associated with the Institute of Hygiene in Berlin, where he carried out research in the field of immunization. Behring, along with Japanese bacteriologist Kitasato Shibasaburo, showed that it was possible to immunize an animal against tetanus by injecting it with the blood of another animal already Infected with the disease. Building further upon this research, Behring and Jewish physician Paul Ehrlich developed a serum that produced immunity against diphtheria. The diphtheria antitoxin became a routine treatment of this disease and Behring is widely known as “a saviour of children” for this contribution.
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