Story behind the first Nobel Prize in Medicine

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The Nobel Prize was instituted in 1901, and the first Nobel in medicine was warded to Von Behring. He shared stage with other luminaries such as Rontgen for Physics, and Henry Dunant for Peace. However, the story behind the first Nobel in Medicine was not without its share of controversies. The award was for developing serum therapy for diphtheria, a serious throat infection. Loeffler and Klebs had discovered its causative organism in 1882. A few years later, in 1888 Roux and Yersin found that this organism produced a substance, we know as diphtheria toxin.

Personalities behind the first Nobel

Two personalities were born in Germany, within a day of each other. Paul Ehrlich on 14th March, and Von Behring the very next day on 15th March of 1854. Ehrlich’s father ran a local distillery and was leader of the local Jewish community. On the other hand Von Behring’s father was a schoolteacher. Both grew up to study medicine at different medical schools in Berlin. Initially Ehrlich was in a private practice, and became an assistant to Robert Koch. Von Behring served the Prussian military as a medic. While Paul Ehrlich died in 1915 at age of 61, Von Behring lived two years longer. Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in its April 1917 issue called them “twin sons of science and humanity“. Both were colleagues for about ten years, from 1890-1900, before they developed serious differences and parted ways.

The Science behind first Nobel

By 1890 Von Behring had developed the concept of an anti-toxin. He injected the toxin in guinea pigs, horses and goats. A few days later he collected serum of these animals, and injected it in other diseased and non-diseased animals. He found that these animals injected with the serum were protected, and those already infected were cured. He called this process as serum therapy. However, the process that had worked in animals, was not working well in humans. At this time Behring was working as an assistant to Robert Koch. He had also developed a serum against tetanus toxin.

In 1891, Robert Koch asked Behring and Ehrlich to work together. Ehrlich was also working with Robert Koch as an assistant. Over next two years, Von Behring and Paul Ehrlich collaborated at Koch’s institute and were able to produce Diphtheria anti-toxin in large quantities. This was the first cure against diphtheria. In 1893, Behring-Ehrlich anti-Diphtheria remedy was ready for commercial use. This was an instant success, and children who would previously die due to diphtheria, were now getting cured. The remedy was nothing less of magic.

This anti-toxin actually had antibodies. We use such therapy in a variety of infectious diseases till date. “Serum therapy” was actually a “passive immunisation.”

The politics behind the first Nobel

In addition to being a scientist, Von Behring was also an expert in commercialisation. He negotiated a contract with German pharma Hoechst to produce and market anti-Diphtheria serum. Initially Ehrlich and Von Behring were supposed to split profits equally. However, Von Behring was ambitious, and eventually Ehrlich got only a 8% share. The Diphtheria serum was in great demand, and both the company as well as Von Behring made a fortune. Ehrlich’s role in this development was vital, as he had established how much anti-toxin was to be given, and how to extract it better.

By 1898, Ehrich had also established a quality control mechanism, and all Diphtheria serum in Germany had to be tested before use. Ehrlich had deviced this protocol as well. However differences between the two scientists over sharing of credit and profits grew. They parted ways in the year 1900. Next year, Von Behring was sole recipient of the first Nobel. This Nobel was warded for the serum therapy. Ehrlich was left out from his share of credit.

Ehrlich had his accolades to follow

Paul Ehrlich continued to have his productive academic path. He developed many stains, that helped other scientists to see microscopic structures, including bacteria, and human cells. Ehrlich’s stains helped him characterise diseases of the blood such as anemia and leukemias. However, most important discovery for Ehrlich was chemotherapy.

Ehrlich believed that there is a way to kill disease causing bacteria in human body, without causing human disease. Based on this concept, he developed Arsphenamine, a chemical compound that was first remedy against syphillis. Begining 1909, till development of Penicillin in 1940, this was only drug that was available for treatment of Syphillis. Ehrlich also worked in the field of cancer biology. He described how tumour cells spread in the human body, and how serum therapy is not useful in case of cancer. Paul Ehrlich also earned Nobel Prize in medicine in 1908.

While Von Behring and Ehrlich are remembered together, these two scientists had their share of differences. Yet, their principles helped humanity fight disease and in the process continues to save many lives till date.