In 1919 a momentous occasion occurred. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to a remarkable Belgian scientist. This was Jules Bordet. We stand today near where this extraordinary man lived and worked.
Jules Bordet was born in Soignies Belgium in 1870. He studied in Brussels earning his medical degree in 1892. His brilliance shone early. While working at the Pasteur Institute in Paris he made significant discoveries. Bordet identified two active substances in antimicrobial sera. One was alexine. The other was a specific antibody created by vaccination. He even developed a method to diagnose microbes using sera.
His work wasn’t confined to the laboratory. Bordet returned to Belgium founding the Pasteur Institute in Brussels in 1901. He became its director. He also became a Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Brussels. He dedicated his life to understanding immunity.
Bordet’s discoveries are truly remarkable. He discovered haemolytic sera. He demonstrated that their action on foreign blood was similar to that of an antimicrobial serum on microbes. His research showed the reactions were colloidal in nature. This insight was ground-breaking.
He didn’t stop there. Together with Octave Gengou he cultivated B pertussis. This bacterium was the generally accepted cause of whooping cough. Bordet’s contributions to immunology were immense. He was a leading authority. He wrote the influential Treatise on Immunity in Infectious Diseases.
Beyond his scientific achievements Bordet held many prestigious positions. He was a member of numerous academies and societies. He received numerous awards and honorary doctorates. His legacy extends beyond his scientific papers. His name is synonymous with excellence in medicine.
Bordet married Marthe Levoz in 1899. They had one son Paul who followed in his father’s footsteps. He became Chief of the Pasteur Institute in Brussels. Jules Bordet died in Brussels in 1961. His contributions to science and medicine continue to inspire generations of researchers. His memory lives on. His name is still associated with medical research in Brussels today. We remember Jules Bordet his genius and his enduring legacy.