The Salvation of Mankind: Anti-Cholera and Anti-Plague Vaccine

1892, Medicine

Obviously, the most prominent invention for a humanity is a thing that saves human lives. In this case, the anti-cholera and anti-plague vaccine can be considered to be one of the most beneficial inventions in medicine as it has helped to save millions of human lives. For this cure, we are obliged to a talented medical scientist – Volodymyr Khavkin.

How? What? When?

Volodymyr Khavkin was distinguished by brilliant abilities, incredible diligence, a clear focus of interests from childhood. In 1889, a young scientist became an employee of the Pasteur Institute in Paris. The main direction of his activity became the search for means of protecting the human body from infectious diseases.

It is worth to note that it was a time of various microbes and viruses: Robert Koch discovered the cholera vibrio, Louis Pasteur made the first inoculations against anthrax and rabies, etc. Generally, microbiology started to develop. The search for pathogens of infectious diseases seemed to Khavkin important and interesting issue. Moreover, a cholera was approaching Europe and the Middle East as well. Thousands of people were killed by powerful and hazardous cholera that murdered everyone and everything.

In the spring of 1892, Khavkin conducted successful experiments with cholera vaccine, proving its effectiveness in the prevention of disease and human safety. Experiments led Khavkin to the conclusion that six days after the second inoculation people become immune to cholera.

This extremely relevant vaccine interested the government of Britain and it allowed the scientist to test it in India, where thousands of people were dying from cholera.

Therefore, Khavkin went to India and established the production of the vaccine. He participated in the vaccination of 42 thousand people. The morbidity had decreased up to tens of times. Until now, improved vaccines have been using to fight this disease.

The contribution of Vladimir Khavkin to the fight against the plague was enormous as well. In 1896, this disease attacked the Indian city of Bombay. Khavkin managed to create an anti-plague vaccine in a short time. He experienced it on himself (just like in case of anti-cholera vaccine), and then helped people in India to conquer the plague.

Khavkin’s anti-plague laboratory in Bombay became the largest research center on bacteriology and epidemiology in the region. Since 1925, it is called the Institute named after Khavkin.

Thanks to Khavkin’s vaccines, humanity forgot about cholera and plague – nowadays, it is considered to be a vestige of the past. However, some part of the planet still suffers from these horrible diseases but Khavkin’s vaccines continue fighting with them.