May 12, 2025
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Things not told in schools: Pasteur discovered the rabies vaccine together with Turkish doctors, thanks to the Ottoman state

  • February 18, 2024
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One of the largest and most important vaccine manufacturers of its time, Ottoman Empirewas a pioneer in marketing the rabies vaccine. So, how do you think it was

Things not told in schools: Pasteur discovered the rabies vaccine together with Turkish doctors, thanks to the Ottoman state

One of the largest and most important vaccine manufacturers of its time, Ottoman Empirewas a pioneer in marketing the rabies vaccine. So, how do you think it was effective to bring such an invention to life?

If it weren’t for the Ottoman Empire, maybe rabies vaccine It might never have happened. Because the rabies vaccine swept through Ottoman lands and spread throughout the world. If you’re ready, let’s start explaining!

Towards the end of the 19th century, vaccine research began to develop.

Ottoman vaccine

These periods are important because they occurred during very important developments in world history. We mainly know him from his vaccine studies. Louis Pasteurin France in 1885 rabies vaccine Its discovery is considered the second modern vaccine produced in human history.

The first was the smallpox vaccine. Lady Montagu, wife of British physician Edward Jenner, mentions the smallpox vaccine used in the Ottoman Empire in her letters written after her visit to these countries. During this period when the whole world was suffering from smallpox, Edward Jenner, who developed a method used in the Ottoman Empire, saved all of Europe thanks to the vaccine.

The invention of the smallpox vaccine by the Ottoman Empire You can read our content below to see its effect.

Conducting research into the effects of bacteria on the human body PasteurAlthough he was widely criticized at this point for not being a doctor, he also sought financial support to continue his vaccine production efforts. He wrote letters to many heads of state with requests for help.

The only person he received a response from was the Russian Tsar, but he supported Pasteur by sending only his portrait. Accepted by no one Pasteurfound the solution in the Ottoman Empire.

One of Pasteur’s requests for help was addressed to the Ottoman sultan. II. AbdulhamidReaches.

Ottoman vaccine

Ottoman sultans Sultan Abdülhamit, whose name was heard most often, was a person open to any development and science that would allow the progress of the state. He heard Pasteur’s request and stated that he was willing to provide financial support on the condition that the vaccine production studies would be carried out in Istanbul.

Although Pasteur hesitated about this offer when he did not agree to leave his country, Abdulhamid He did not hesitate to make him a second offer.

Sultan Abdulhamid, In this offer he stated that he could donate 10,000 gold coins to Pasteur and that he would honor him with the 1st degree Mecidiye Medal. The only condition was that he would involve the Ottoman physicians he would choose in his studies.

Pasteur accepted this attractive offer and hired people to train with him. From Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Militaryye-i Şâhâne chosen. These people were Dr. chaired by Professor Alexander Zoeros Pasha. They were Hüseyin Remzi and veterinarian Hüseyin Hüsnü Bey.

Pasteur first administered the rabies vaccine to a 9-year-old boy named Joseph Meiste, who was bitten by a dog on July 6, 1885.

pasteur

Whether or not to administer the vaccine Although there was a lot of hesitation about the issue, they ultimately administered the vaccine, thinking that without it the child would die.

The vaccine given to the child bitten in 14 places started showing positive results within 10 days. Pasteur and his teammates from Mekteb-i Tıbbiye cured the child and administered the rabies vaccine. to develop successfully They felt justified pride.

of Zuros Pasha The team formed under his leadership returned to Ottoman lands with bone marrow injected with “rabies microbes”. Subsequently, in 1887, the Daûl-Kelp operating room and Bacteriology (Rabies Treatment Institute) were established in the clinic of Zoeros Pasha.

The importance of this institution is the third in the world rabies center would happen.

Ottoman healthcare

The first on the eastern border rabies center It went down in history as. Over time, this center not only provides rabies vaccination; It also started producing diphtheria serum. In fact, they were successful.

This paved the way for the Ottoman vaccination studies. Known as the “Vaccine Production and Research Institute”Telkihhane“, began operating in July 1892 under the leadership of Dr. Hüseyin Remzi Bey in a building in the garden of Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Militaryye-i Åžahane in Istanbul.

This center has made great efforts to quickly bring European microbiological discoveries to our country.

Rabies vaccine in the Ottoman Empire

by Emil von Behring in 1892″diphtheria serum” was discovered. In our country, this serum was produced at the “Bacteriology Center” by veterinarian Mustafa Adil and went into production in 1896.

Don’t think the developments ended there; the Ottoman Empire made great strides in vaccination, becoming the first of its kind in the world in 1897. rinderpest The serum was also produced by Mustafa Adil. In 1903, these studies were replaced by the production of scarlet fever serum.

Vaccination studies, which were completely free and carried out by the state, continued unabated in the Ottoman Empire. A major breakthrough has been achieved in healthcare. Thus, this invention of Pasteur, known to the whole world as the rabies vaccine, was used in Ottoman countries. II. Abdulhamid It was implemented with his approval.

Sources: Ministry of Health, Dergi Park

Our other content about the Ottoman Empire:

Source: Web Tekno

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