Theobald Smith and the discovery of Salmonella

The existence of transmission links between insects and animals, and insects and humans, was demonstrated first by Patrick Manson’s elucidation of the causes of filariasis (1878), second by the discovery of the tick-borne nature of Texas cattle fever by Theobald Smith (1893).

Theobald Smith was better known for his discovery of Salmonella, and also his work of cattle fever.

Salmonella was originally discovered by Theobald Smith (1859-1934) a technician in 1885; however, it was named after the technician’s research leader, Daniel E. Salmon(1850-1914), who was a veterinarian.

Smith isolated what became known as Salmonella choleraesuis from the intestine of a pig. At that time he named the organism “Hog-cholerabacillus.”

French bacteriologist Joseph Leon Marcel Lignieres suggested in 1900 that the group of bacteria represented by the swine-cholera organism should be termed “Salmonella” on honor of Salmon.

Salmonella was known by many names before its official title was chosen, It had been called TPE, or thypoid-parathypus-enteritis. A German bacteriologist name Karl Joseph Eberth referred to it as Eberthella thypi.

Salmonella is the genus name for a bacterium that is responsible for causing illness worldwide. Species in the genus Salmonella are categorized as facultatively anaerobic Gram-negative rods within the family Enterobacteriaceae.
Theobald Smith and the discovery of Salmonella