RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 1885 Cholera Controversy: Klein versus Koch
JF Medical Humanities
JO J Med Humanit
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 43
OP 47
DO 10.1136/jmh.2009.003558
VO 36
IS 1
A1 Bruno Atalic
YR 2010
UL http://mh.bmj.com/content/36/1/43.abstract
AB This paper will try to give new insight into the Cholera Controversy, which occurred 125 years ago. The majority of papers already written on the topic have emphasised the role of Robert Koch who described the comma bacillus as the cause of cholera epidemics. At the same time they have marginalised the role of Emanuel Edward Klein by stating that he was wrong when he objected to Robert Koch's statement, because as an employee of the British government he was politically motivated. Moreover, they have paid barely any attention to Klein's writings on the subject. In this paper I will try to approach his attitudes from the scientific, not political, perspective and try to explain the reasons why he challenged Koch.