Émile Roux

ROUX, Émile (Pierre-Paul-Émile Roux, 1853–1933), an outstanding French bacteriologist. In 1878 he began work in the newly established Pasteur laboratory at the chemical laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. From 1878 to 1883 he was a preparator there, and from 1883 to 1888 an assistant director of the laboratory. In 1888 he was appointed head of a department at the Pasteur Institute, and in 1893 he became vice-director of the institute. Finally, from 1904 he served permanently as director of this institution. Thus, Roux's entire life and scientific activity are closely linked with Pasteur and the Pasteur Institute. He is one of the creators of this world institution, as well as one of the founders of modern immunology and practical serology. Roux's first works were done in collaboration with and under the direction of Pasteur; this period includes his research in the fields of anthrax, rabies, tetanus, bovine pleuropneumonia, and syphilis. In these works, Roux proved to be a valuable collaborator of Pasteur and, in part, of Metchnikoff. Almost from the very beginning, Roux's activity concentrated on the study of bacterial toxins and sera, then a completely new field of science. Together with Pasteur and Chamberland, he produced an anthrax vaccine, and later worked with Yersin on diphtheria bacilli and their toxins. His most important discovery, which brought him worldwide fame, belongs to this field. Using diphtheria as an example, Roux demonstrated the role of bacterial toxins in infectious diseases. All general morbid phenomena caused by diphtheria, such as paralysis, cardiac decline, etc., were reproduced by him in animals using injections of diphtheria toxin alone, without diphtheria bacilli. Based on Roux's work, Behring proposed his antidiphtheria serum. The serum was produced simultaneously by Behring in Germany and Roux in France. Later, the technique of manufacturing this serum, as well as its application in humans, was developed by Roux. He was also the first to introduce it into widespread use. For the discovery of the antidiphtheria serum, Roux, shared with Behring, was awarded the prize of the Paris Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Medicine, as well as the Nobel Prize. Roux was a member of the French Academy of Medicine. Roux's main work is «Contributions à l'étude de la diphtérie» (Annales de l'Institut Pasteur, t. II-IV, 1888–1890).