He discovered this bacterium in 1883, while studying the disease diphtheria. His research helped to establish the bacterial cause of the disease and paved the way for the development of effective treatments.
However, he was not the first to identify the bacterium. Friedrich Löffler, a German physician, had already isolated and cultivated the bacterium in 1884.
Klebs's contribution to diphtheria research was significant because he was the first to describe the bacterium's morphology and its association with the disease. He also developed a staining technique that allowed for the visualization of the bacteria, which was crucial for identifying them.
Therefore, while Klebs didn't discover the diphtheria bacillus, his work was instrumental in confirming its role in causing the disease and furthering our understanding of this deadly infection.
