Robert Koch (1843-1910) May 24, 1882 announced the discovery of the tubercle bacillus finally putting out the reality of the microbial and contagious tuberculosis, a true scourge of humanity. In 1907 Clemens von Pirquet , father of immunology, he developed his method of tuberculin, which was completed a year later by Moro and Mantoux. Most important is the contribution to treatment of tuberculosis of the Italian Carlo Forlanini , who in 1882 proposed and implemented the first pneumothorax for the treatment of pulmonary forms.
Theodor Escherich (1857-1911) conducted numerous clinical and biological research, particularly on the gut flora of infants, and discovering that batterium coli , which was given its name, and enteric streptococcus children. Charles Michel Billard (1800-1832), a pupil of Giovanni Battista Morgagni is considered the founder of ' pathology pediatric. JL Smith (1827-1897) is one of the first American doctors to devote themselves almost exclusively to pediatrics, he is the author of Treatisse on the disease of infancy and childhood, published in Philadelphia and considered a masterpiece of world literature for pediatric its eight editions , which for almost three decades update pediatricians throughout the Americas.
Smith is one of the founders of the American Pediatrics Society and statAbraham Jacobi would be honored as the father of American pediatrics if his reputation had not been overshadowed by that of the energetic and passionate Abraham Jacobi (1830-1919), born in Germany and moved to New York , which only thirty years he founded the first pediatric clinic. His career was brilliant and will promote organizations, companies, magazines and publications in the field seats to children's diseases. Among his many works, there is also a story of Pediatrics (1913). H. Holt (1855-1924) he is also one of the pioneers of the American Academy of Pediatrics, author of a well-known text of pediatrics. A big step towards the defeat of polio was made by Albert Bruce Sabin in 1953 developed the first oral vaccine against polio