THE MILLENNIUM AND MEDICINE: THE TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS
- Louis Pasteur (1822-1895): Proposed the “germ theory”. He first associated a specific micro organism (bacillus) with a specific disease (anthrax). He developed the method of pasteurization—a heating process that kills bacteria in milk, wine and other liquids. He was also a pioneer in stereochemistry.
- Robert Koch (1843-1910): The first to isolate the anthrax bacillus (1876). In 1883, he published a method of preventive inoculation against this disease. In 1882, he announced the discovery of tubercle bacillus and in 1883; he discovered the cause of cholera. He was awarded the nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 1905.
- Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902): Founded Cellular pathology. His concept that the basis of disease is the cell, the essential functional and structural unit of the body, was of monumental importance as a basis for understanding the cause, the process and the results of the disease.
- Gregor Mendel (1822-1844): Formulated the laws of heredity. Mendel's work laid the mathematical foundation of the science of genetics.
- Francis Crick (1916-) and James Watson (1928): Accredited with determining the molecular structure of DNA, the chemical substrate of heredity, which is regarded as the most important discovery of the 20th century in medicine and science. They were awarded the nobel prize in 1962 sharing it with Maurice Wilkins (1916). Currently, Crick is associated with the Salk Institute for biological studies in San Diego while Watson is the director of the Cold Spring Harbor lab in southeastern New York.
- Marie Curie (1867-1934): Discovered radioactivity and was given the nobel prize in 1903. The discovery formed the basis of radiation therapy. In 1911, she was again conferred the Nobel Prize in chemistry for her discovery of radium and polonium.
- Edward Jenner (1749-1823): Introduced the inoculation for smallpox at the end of the 18th century, which is considered one of the greatest triumphs in the history of medicine.
- Wilhelm Rontgen (1845-1923): Discoverer of X-rays in 1895 and nobel prize winner in Physics in 1901. The value of X-rays in the diagnosis and treatment was recognised and accepted almost from the outset of their discovery.
- Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Considered the founder of psychoanalysis, he believed that a complex of repressed and forgotten expressions underlies all abnormal mental states and that infantile mental processes are important in later development.
TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN DERMATOLOGY, VENEREOLOGY AND LEPROSY: INDIA
- Dr. JS Pasricha: Pioneer of pulse therapy in pemphigus, contact dermatitis in India.
- Dr. LK Bhutani: Clinical dermatology, “Bhutani's Colour Atlas of Dermatology”, photobiology.
- Dr. Dharmendra: “Father of leprosy” in India.
- Dr. RV Rajam and Dr. PN Rangaiah: Monograph on donovanosis.
- Dr. VN Sehgal: For his literary contribution in dermatology, venereology and leprosy.
- Dr. Patrick Yesudian: Clinician par excellence, known for “Patrick Yesudian sign” for palmar freckling in neurofibromatosis type 1.
- Dr. KC Kandhari: Established department of dermatology at AIIMS.
- Dr. Gurmohan Singh: contribution to Indian and community dermatology.
- Dr. Surinder Kaur: Established department of dermatology at PGIMER, Chandigarh.
- Dr. Sardarilal: First editor of Indian Journal of sexually transmitted diseases, and for contributions in donovanosis.
TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN DERMATOLOGY, VENEREOLOGY AND LEPROSY: WORLD
- Dr. Ferdinand Ritter von Hebra– Founder of the new Vienna school of dermatology, which set the basis for modern dermatology.
- Dr. Robert Willan– Founder of dermatology as a medical specialty.
- Dr. Josef Jadassohn– Best remembered for his handbook of skin and venereal disease (41 volumes), pioneer in allergology, introduced patch testing.
- Dr. Johnathan Hunter– Natural history of syphilis, role of inflammation in healing.
- Dr. Paul Ehrlich– Developed salvarsan (magic bullet) as a treatment for syphilis, was the first to stain tubercle bacilli.
- Dr. Thomas Bernard Fitzpatrick– Proved that melanin was produced in melanosomes, first editor of Dermatology in General Medicine (1965).
- Dr. Arthur Rook (1918-1991), Dr. Darrell Sheldon Wilkinson and zoologist John Ebling (1918-1992): Produced their major work, Textbook of Dermatology (alias The Rook Book) in 1968.
- Dr. Paul Gerson Unna, Dr. HKB Pinkus, Dr. A Bernard Ackerman, and Walter F. Lever: Contributions to dermatopathology.
- Heinrich Koebner– Koebner phenomenon, founder of the dermatology clinic at the University of Breslau.
- GHA Hansen– Identified M. leprae as the causative agent of leprosy in 1873.