The Frenchmen Albert Calmette (1863-1933) and Camille Guerin (1872-1961) developed their vaccine against Tuberkulose, the B.C.G. (= Bacillus Calmette at the beginning of 20. Century, from Rindertuberkelbazillen continuously from normal Virulenz through repeated; it succeeded to them to win avirulente germs which formed the basis for the BCG inoculation in such a way specified, with which at the baby age a nearly one hundred-per cent protection against Tuberkulose be achieved can.

The act

Nevertheless it gave in the first time, in which such inoculation were accomplished, a terrible inoculation misfortune, in the Hanseatic city to Luebeck in the year 1930. At that time 251 babies were inoculated, from whom 77 died in the next days. The incident excited world-wide attention.

The director/conductor of the general hospital in Luebeck, professor Georg Deycke, had referred a BCG Originalkultur, from which in the laboratory of the hospital vaccine had then been developed from the Pasteur institute in Paris. It turned out later that the vaccine with Bazillen of the trunk was contaminated "Kiel ", which was then found in the corpse material of all deceased babies. It was never completely clarified, how it had come to pollution of the BCG vaccine, which had been used in Luebeck.

Due to the large social problems at that time (unemployment) the public opinion was very applied. Parents of the children died by the inoculation created an interest combination and organized protest meetings.

The process

It came to a criminal procedure, in which the bosses of the hospital were accused, the of child hospital and public health authorities as well as a laboratory sister. Parents were co-plaintiffs in the process; they were represented by the famous citizen of Berlin attorney Dr. Frey. The main negotiation lasted from 12 October 1931 by 6 February 1932 and did not become because of the public attention not in the areas of the regional court in the castle route, but negotiates in the gymnasium in the mill road. Condemned both leaders general hospital, Dr. Deycke, and public health authorities, Dr. Ernst Altstaedt, because of negligent killing and/or bodily injury, above all, because the safety precautions in the laboratory, in which the vaccine had been manufactured, would not have corresponded to the safety standards. The measure of punishment amounted to two years and/or 15 months prison. The revision was likewise rejected like a request for grace - the latter with the reason, which may not do confidence of the public to the physician by the fact is shaken that this goes out despite proven negligence freely.

The consequences

The process stood in a certain twilight: The chairman of the Calmette process did not commit approximately at the time, when the request for grace had been rejected, suicide, because he could not bear the thought, it the procedure was grown - which did not apply according to opinion of the process observers.

The meaning of the case

The right-historical meaning of this in several respects tragic criminal procedure lies in it that by this process the coding of the medical occupation right in Germany was caused, quasi the birth of the modern medicine right.

See also

• inoculation misfortune
• The well-known press draughtsman of the time of the Weimar Republic Emil Stumpp held the of the process-taken part for future generations.

Literature

• Julius noble-hope: The Calmette process, in the cars 1984, P. 62-68

Articles in category "Calmette process"

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