Anton Ghon (1 January 1866 – 23 April 1936) was an Austrian

pathologist Pathology is the study of the causal, causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when us ...

and

bacteriologist A bacteriologist is a microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in bacteriology -- a subdivision of microbiology that studies bacteria, typically Pathogenic bacteria, pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learnin ...

. He is best known for his research on

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

(

Ghon's complex Ghon's complex is a lesion seen in the lung that is caused by tuberculosis. The lesions consist of a Ghon focus along with pulmonary lymphadenopathy within a nearby pulmonary lymph node. A Ghons complex retains viable bacteria, making them sources ...

Biography

Ghon was born on January 1, 1866, in

Villach Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the po ...

. From 1884 to 1890, Ghon studied medicine at the university in

Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...

. In 1890 he volunteered at the dermatologic clinic in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. In 1892, he became an aspirant to the pathologic-anatomic division at ''Krankenanstalt Rudolfstiftung'' (Rudolf Foundation). In 1893, he worked as demonstrator to the chair of pathological

histology Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology which studies the microscopic anatomy of biological tissues. Histology is the microscopic counterpart to gross anatomy, which looks at larger structures vis ...

and bacteriology and as of 1894 as assistant of Anton Weichselbaum (1845–1920) at the pathological-anatomical institute at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich histor ...

. Anton Ghon travelled to

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

in 1897 as a member of the Austrian delegation researching the

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...

. For their findings on

aetiology Etiology (pronounced ; alternatively: aetiology or ætiology) is the study of causation or origination. The word is derived from the Greek (''aitiología'') "giving a reason for" (, ''aitía'', "cause"); and ('' -logía''). More completely, e ...

anatomical pathology Anatomical pathology (''Commonwealth'') or Anatomic pathology (''U.S.'') is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the macroscopic, microscopic, biochemical, immunologic and molecular examination ...

and

epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

, he and his colleagues were nominated for the

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

in 1901. Ghon completed his

habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...

in 1899 in Vienna and was appointed associate professor in 1902. In 1910 he became full professor of pathological

anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having its ...

at the German University in Prague succeeding

Richard Kretz Richard Kretz (12 May 1865 – 13 May 1920) was an Austrian pathologist born in Bruck an der Mur, Styria. He is remembered for pathological research involving regenerative and degenerative processes that take place in liver cirrhosis. Kretz ea ...

. In 1910, Anton Ghon married Karoline Illatz in Vienna. Ghon retired in 1935 and died in Prague on April 23, 1936, shortly after retiring from his university position. His body was transferred to his hometown Villach and laid to rest in the family tomb.

Work

Ghon linked bacteriological and anatomic-histological methods for exploring

gram-negative Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining method of bacterial differentiation. They are characterized by their cell envelopes, which are composed of a thin peptidoglycan cell wall ...

diplococci A diplococcus (plural diplococci) is a round bacterium (a coccus) that typically occurs in the form of two joined cells. Types Examples of gram-negative diplococci are '' Neisseria spp.'' and ''Moraxella catarrhalis.'' Examples of gram-positiv ...

, the pathogens of

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

and

gas gangrene Gas gangrene (also known as clostridial myonecrosis and myonecrosis) is a bacterial infection that produces tissue gas in gangrene. This deadly form of gangrene usually is caused by ''Clostridium perfringens'' bacteria. About 1,000 cases of gas g ...

(the bacillus oedematis maligni was also called Ghon-Sachs bacillus) as well as tuberculosis. He was a specialist in the field of

bacteriology Bacteriology is the branch and specialty of biology that studies the morphology, ecology, genetics and biochemistry of bacteria as well as many other aspects related to them. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classificat ...

, and is remembered for his work with

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

and tuberculosis. His name is lent to

Ghon focus A Ghon focus is a primary lesion usually subpleural, often in the mid to lower zones, caused by '' Mycobacterium'' bacilli (tuberculosis) developed in the lung of a nonimmune host (usually a child). It is named for Anton Ghon (1866–1936), an A ...

, which is a primary

infection An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

associated with tuberculosis, as well as Ghon's complex — when the aforementioned infection involves surrounding

lymph node A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that inclu ...

s. His best written effort is a 1912 treatise of childhood tuberculosis called ''Der primäre Lungenherd bei der Tuberkulose der Kinder''.

Honours

* 1898: Goldenes Verdienstkreuz mit der Krone (Golden Cross of Merit with the Crown) * 1899: Corresponding member of the

Academy of Sciences An academy of sciences is a type of learned society or academy (as special scientific institution) dedicated to sciences that may or may not be state funded. Some state funded academies are tuned into national or royal (in case of the Unite ...

in Vienna *1936: Honorary citizen of Villach)

Written works

* ''Der primäre Lungenherd bei der Tuberkulose der Kinder'', (1912). * Publications about Anton Ghon: * "Ghon, but not forgotten, (Anton Ghon and his complex)"; WB Ober (1983).

Weblinks

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghon, Anton 1866 births 1936 deaths Scientists from Austria-Hungary Austrian pathologists Austrian bacteriologists People from Villach University of Graz alumni Pathologists from Austria-Hungary