Hans Christian Gram

Hans Christian Joachim Gram (September 13, 1853 - November 14, 1938) was a Danish bacteriologist.

Career

Gram studied Botany at the University of Copenhagen and assisted Japetus Steenstrup. His interest in plants introduced him to the basis of pharmacology and the use of the microscope. He entered medical school in 1878 and graduated in 1883. He travelled throughout Europe between 1878 and 1885. In Berlin, in 1884, he developed a method for distinguishing between two major classes of bacteria. This technique, the Gram Stain, continues to be a standard procedure in medical microbiology. In 1891, Gram became a lecturer in pharmacology, and later that year was appointed professor at the University of Copenhagen. In 1900 he resigned his Chair in Pharmacology to become Professor of Medicine.

The Gram Stain

The work that gained him international reputation was his development of a method of staining bacteria. The stain later played a major role in classifying bacteria. Gram was a modest man, and in his initial publication he remarked "I have therefore published the method, althogh I am aware that as yet it is very defective and imperfect; but it is hoped that also in the hands of other investigators it will turn out to be useful".

Other Work

His initial work concerned the study of Red blood cells in man. He was among the first to recognise that macrocytes were characteristic of pernicious anaemia. After his appointment as professor of Medicine in 1900 he published four volumes of clinical lectures which became widely used in Denmark. He retired in 1923.

References

  • B.G. Firkin & J.A.Whitworth (1987). Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. Parthenon Publishing. ISBN 1-85070-333-7
Gram, Hans Christian Gram, Hans Christian Gram, Hans Christian

 

<< PreviousWord BrowserNext >>
canary
balius and xanthus
xanthus
principal passes of the alps
xanthos
teddy bear
baucis
baucis and philemon
bia
biston
panther
oreithyia
boreads
lysander spooner
brizo
cabari
sun belt conference
list of countries by population density
southeastern conference
caduceus
caerus
western athletic conference
ada adler
ncaa division i a independent schools
impartial game
big sky conference
campe
southwestern athletic conference
carya
caryatis
pioneer football league
cassotis
atlantic ten conference
gateway football conference
ohio valley conference
mid eastern athletic conference
patriot league
surveyor program
renderman
sui
dryad
diane abbott
catreus
apemosyne