The Microscope. 7 



he first attended school. From 1862 to 1866 he studied medi- 

 cine at Goettingen ; then, having become a professor of medicine, 

 he commenced his practice at Posen. 



A few years later he was chosen professor and commenced his 

 first work on the study of tuberculosis. He discovered the 

 bacilli, he studied them, and settled the fact that consumption 



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Fig. 1. — The bacilli of consumption from fresh 

 mucus examined under the microscope. 



is caused by them. This work at once put him in the very first 

 rank, so that in 1883 he was sent by the Prussian government 

 to India to make a study of cholera and to discover the cause of 

 that infectious malady. This time again success crowned his 

 efforts, and it is admitted to-day without doubt that cholera is 

 caused by comma bacilli (a name which Dr Koch himself gave 

 them on account of their resemblance to the comma), as tuber- 

 culosis is caused by the Koch bacilli. As a reward for his ser- 

 vices, on his return the State voted him a purse of $25,000. The 

 importance of the work of this German savant was thus recog- 

 nized, and it appears that he was justly entitled to be considered 

 one of the most extraordinary persons of our time. It may be 

 well to mention at this point that according to Koch there is no 

 fear of cholera returning to Europe, or at least it will not pass 

 beyond some of the countries of the south. Berlin with its re- 

 markable system of sewerage, and Paris also, have nothing to fear 

 from that terrible malady. This is certainly reassuring. Thus 

 it may be seen that the object of all of Professor Koch's work is 



