Diphtheria: A hundred years ago, the first toxoid vaccine

In 1923, veterinarian Gaston Ramon discovered the diphtheria toxoid, a molecule capable of neutralizing the toxin produced by diphtheria bacteria. Within a year he had conceptualized the notion of adjuvants and developed the forerunner of today's DTP vaccine. His discoveries would go on to save thousands of lives.

Diphtheria is a serious infection that starts in the throat and can go on to affect other organs and the central nervous system. It is characterized by the formation of a gray "pseudomembrane" of dead cells at the back of the throat. Diphtheria can also cause croup, with patients developing a barking cough as they experience respiratory distress. In mid-19th-century France, diphtheria affected nearly 30,000 people each year and killed half of all children infected with the disease.

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