1882Reputable sourceWell documented
Tuberculosis: The White Plague
On the timeline · around 1882 · The Rise of Medicine
What happened
Tuberculosis — the 'white plague' — was the leading cause of death in 19th-century Europe and North America, killing perhaps one in seven people. On 24 March 1882 Robert Koch announced to a Berlin audience that he had identified the bacterium that causes it, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, proving that TB was infectious rather than hereditary.
Why it matters
Koch's discovery transformed the fight against the deadliest disease of the age and is commemorated every year on World TB Day. Tuberculosis remains one of the world's top infectious killers even now.
Sources
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. History of World TB Day · Reputable source