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Gerhard Domagk

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Scientist

The Resume

    (October 30, 1895-April 24, 1964)
    Born in Lagow, Poland
    Bacteriologist
    Discovered that the dye Prontosil was an effective antibiotic against streptococcus bacteria (1932)
    Prontosil was the first sulfa drug and first commercially available antibiotic
    Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1939)

Why he might be annoying:

    He turned down the Nobel Prize.
    Sulfa drugs can cause kidney stones and were largely replaced by penicillin, which has fewer side effects.
    Ironically, his discovery of Prontosil prompted Alexander Fleming to abandon work on penicillin in favor of sulfa drugs.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served as a soldier in World War I until he was wounded, then spent the rest of the war as a medic.
    Sulfa drugs saved the lives of thousands of patients before penicillin could be mass produced.
    His mother starved to death in a refugee camp after World War II.
    He also helped develop the anti-tuberculosis drug isoniazid, which curbed a TB epidemic in Europe after WWII.
    Because he had been forced to reject the Nobel Prize under duress from the Nazi regime, he was allowed to receive his medal (but not the monetary prize) after WWII.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying